Someplace between the Ten Commandments and Murphy's Law : Fulghum's recommendations
1. Buy lemonade from any kid who is selling. ----- I would if only I found one. Over here there are more kids begging. I wish they would sell something. Anything. I am so pleased when I see kids actually working (never mind what work) I invariably go overboard. The few times that I found kids selling stuff on the streets I ended up with stale chips which I ate, toffee gone bad which I didn't eat, rotting-wilting flowers which I brought back home and tried to revive ...... Also I absolutely over-tip (or whatever it is called) the little guy in the train who goes from compartment to compartment , broom in hand, sweeping .... he may not be very effective but after a parade of kids begging, I fall in love with this guy .... and anything I give him is not enough ........ and just because he's selling --- chips, toffee, flowers, his services ---- even if its not lemonade, I'd love to buy. (Seriously people, instead of giving alms ... buy whatever rotten stuff they're selling ..... it'll help them in the long run)
2. Anytime you can vote on anything, vote. ------- I wish I wish I wish. I am 21 yrs old and I cannot vote .... I don't have a voter Id and even my ration card is invalid everywhere. Till June I was a student so I had a student (college) I-card. But now I've ceased to exist. I know I was born because I've got the birth cert. and I know I'm not dead because I haven't got a death cert. But in the meanwhile there's nothing to show that I am a citizen of this country, and that I am my parents daughter, and that I live where I live, etc, etc. It's depressing. The last municipal elections, I wanted to vote so badly. My friends are all like --- look at us in these voter Icards: we look so terrible ---- but god I wish I had an icard. I wish I could vote.
3. Attend the 25th reunion of your high school class. ----- Didn't even attend the first reunion; so absolutely no question of attending the 25th one. College reunions maybe!! Maybe not.
4. Choose having time over having money. ----- and choose service over time. So basically choose serving over having time and having money. And I haven't done either. I've chosen having money over everything else. Right now I don't mind --- a girl's gotta eat. But someday I will mind. I simply hope that I will have the strength to choose correctly then.
5. Always take the scenic route. ----- Are ya kidding???!!! Who's got the time ???!!! But if only we did : the journey as opposed to the destination.
6. Give at least something to any beggar who asks. ----- Sorry to disagree. But I'm sure 21 years in India will change this for you too.
7. And give money to all street musicians. ----- I swear I tried doing this once. But God !!! I got this lecture on how street musicians aren't beggars and that they're there for the sake of art and that that's the problem with today's generation; no appreciation for anything. Can't try this again .... I'm scared of people scolding me and making me feel 8 yrs old.
8. Always be someone's valentine. ----- I wanna be too ..... but no takers.
9. When the circus comes to town, be there. ----- I will I will I will.

This is why I love his books so much. They really make me think. Make me ask questions and find answers too. They make me grade myself on the way I'm living. They always make me want to do something worthwhile and also make me realize that worthwhile is in the small stuff.
Also in the big stuff, but mainly in the small stuff. Cheers Fulghum, write on .......... And Sen, will live on ........................................................