Wednesday, September 5th, 2012

The Speed of Optimism

 

Terrace Bay, Ontario

The towns people in Terrace Bay are on an emotional high. For some days now, they are feeling relieved. This tiny place, located more or less at a cliff`s edge overlooking Lake Superior, was looking practically doomed when their pulp and paper plant was going under. It looked like the place was going to close down. But then the company was bought up by a well-established Bierla firm from India. New hope came to this town of population two-thousand. In fact, three pulp and paper plants in Canada were recently purchased by the Indian firm.

 

Vinod Tiwari, the general manager of the revived business, he so graciously looked after Daruka and I when he heard we were coming to town. He was conscientious, direct, and confident in his interaction with us. I asked him how he hopes to succeed with the business. "We just have to be very professional," he said with conviction.

 

At least a dozen of his management team I had met in some rented apartments for breakfast, which was Indian palau, while others helped themselves to the American fare of cornflakes and milk. Most of them are on a few weeks stay in Canada to reorganize the pulp and paper plant. All of them moved with the speed of optimism to and from the designated kitchenette for the morning meal. While they were munching or crunching on breakfast, the Asian television network was on the TV monitor, with some guru delivering a message on his brand of spirituality. There was nothing mundane about the management team and how they carried themselves. In fact, one of the fellows I found engaged in a physical workout (no gym required) in the misty air of the morning while I was on my morning walk.

 

Now I will choose to reserve my personal opinion about the paper industry and its impact on the environment, but I simply want to bring up the point about their positive attitude. If only I could apply my spiritual life with the enthusiasm these men had for making their new prospects. It was admirable and a source of inspiration to meet and greet them. And, they treated my like a sadhu.

 

And for the few moments that we sat at the breakfast table, they took a keen interest in hearing what I had to say. They were respectful and they were good listeners. I guess you could say that some of these qualities are recipes for success in life.

 

9 KM