The pursuit of excellence

Excellence is defined as the quality of being outstanding or extremely good. It is A+ in our grade. To excel is to abound or to make progress. We are created to excel in life. In fact J. Hampton Keathley III says that the pursuit of excellence is both a goal and a mark of spiritual maturity.

Excellence should be differentiated from perfection. While perfection strives towards an ideal or without fault and can be frustrating but pursuit of excellence is giving our best shot in whatever we do and is healthy. Perhaps this is best conveyed by Paul in his letter to Colossians 3:23: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men”

Excellence should also be differentiated from success. The Olympic is held to showcase the mark of excellence. This is rightly expressed in the Olympic creed: “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.” Brian Harbour differentiates success and excellence as: “Success means being the best. Excellence means being your best. Success, to many, means being better than everyone else. Excellence means being better tomorrow than you were yesterday. Success means exceeding the achievements of other people. Excellence means matching your practice with your potential.” So success is more of outdoing others but excellence is doing our best with what we have with the purpose to grow, improve or learn. To succeed you compete with others but to excel you compete with yourself.

The pursuit of excellence must be motivated by the right values, priorities, and motives lest it becomes a pursuit for our own glory and for the recognition of men. The competitiveness to succeed and outdo others is evident in all spheres of life, be it in sports, science, arts, culture or market. This has led to so many setbacks and heartaches. The issue of doping in sports is taken very seriously and must be so because it goes against the very ethos of a true sportsmanship which is to excel. Perhaps the pursuit excellence is to not seek your own welfare by outdoing others but to seek the welfare of others. Paul in his letter directs the Corinthians to seek the glory of God: “So whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians10:31).”

The pursuit of excellence is a way of doing ordinary, common and everyday things in life in a very extraordinary way as a devotion to the creator. When everyday work becomes worship to your creator miracles can happen. Perhaps this is the reason Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge University has produced the highest number of Noble Laureates from a single facility. Since the founding of the Nobel Prizes by Alfred Nobel in 1895, 29 members of the Cavendish have won one of the illustrious prizes. The oak door of the new Cavendish Laboratory have this inscription from the Book of Psalms in the Bible: “The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.” Thus the pursuit of excellence is not just fruitful but can be fulfilling. After all Man's chief  end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever as Westminster Shorter Catechism states.

The pursuit of excellence requires prioritization. This means many things which are good and important will have to go away in order to make way for what is best. There are so many things that require our attention and our time. It is the ability to focus on the goal that will make us excel in life. Rob Bell tells of a story where he and his son were walking on a beach. His son was picking up sea shells lying on the beach as they walk along. Out of nowhere a big starfish washed up on the beach. His son looks up and wants to grab it. Rob tells his son to go and get it but his son says he can’t. Rob tells his son to just ran into the water and grab it, but his son replies again out of frustration that he can’t. Rob says, “Why not?” and his son says, “My hands are full of sea shells.” The pursuit of excellence requires us to let go of the good like sea shells in order to get hold of the starfish. 

           

A prayer for those who make an impact in my life

We do not meet in life by chance. Our paths cross each other for a divine purpose. Many pass us by and we forget them, but few make positive and lasting impact in our life. They influence us and inspire us. We make connection with them and form a bond that is lasting. For those who have influenced me and make impact in my life I thank them and thank the Almighty for allowing our paths to cross each other. And to such a friend who have stood by my side through thick and thin, ups and down I pray this prayer for you. May the LORD bless you and keep you. May His face shine upon you and give you peace. May He be gracious to you all the days of your life. Amen

Introduction to HIV Surveillance System

The earliest documented case of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection dates back to 1959. Clinically, Acquired Immunodeficiency Disease Syndrome (AIDS) was first observed in 1981 in the United States. HIV was identified as the cause of AIDS in 1983 by research groups led by Dr. Luc Montagnier at the Pasteur Institute, Paris and Dr. Anthony Gallo of the National Cancer Institute, Washington.

Globally 36.7 million people are living with HIV and 1.1 million people died of AIDS related illnesses in 2015. World Health Organisation (WHO) proposed the introduction of HIV Sentinel Surveillance (HSS) system to monitor the extent and trends of the HIV epidemic. To better understand the course of the epidemic and its relationship to changes in the behaviours that spread it, United Nations for AIDS and WHO proposed the use of second generation surveillance tools. This aims to integrate the biological as well as the behavioural information.

HIV was first detected in India in 1986. As per the 2015 India HIV estimation, 21 lakh people are living with HIV and 67 thousand deaths occurred due to AIDS related causes in 2015. HIV Surveillance was initiated in 1985 by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). With the establishment of National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) in 1992 HSS was initiated in 1993-94 which was then formalized as an annual activity from 1998. From 2008-09 onwards it is conducted once in two years. So far 14 rounds of HSS have been completed. The 15^th Round is in process and is expected to be completed in 2017.

India has one of the world’s largest and most robust HSS. HSS measures the prevalence of HIV in a specific risk group in a specific region at specific time point. It monitors the HIV epidemic patterns among the High Risk Groups (HRG), the Bridge Population and General Population. In 2013-2015, National Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance (IBBS) was carried out among the HRG and Bridge population.

The HIV surveillance is ever changing with expansion to include new sites, collection of new information and additional biomarkers for study.

The King rides into Jerusalem on a Donkey

           What kind of a King would ride on a donkey into the capital city?

Perhaps you would have expected some kind of chariots (in the olden times) or may be limousine (in today's time). Nothing of that flashy and mighty creature but a humble and silent donkey was chosen as the vehicle for this grand entrance.

          There were instances where leaders or kings rode on donkeys in the Old Testament like Judges 5:10; 10:4; 12:14. Solomon, considered the wisest king, rode on a donkey on the day he was anointed as the new king (1 Kings 1:33,45). Significantly, it is to be noted that in the ancient middle Eastern world, kings rode majestic horses if they rode to war, but donkeys when they come in peace.

           It was a calculated move by Jesus when he chose to ride into Jerusalem during the Passover time. He fulfilled the 500 years old prophecy of Zechariah (Zech 9:9) when he did that. He was not riding into Jerusalem as the conquering king, but as an envoy of peace. After all he was to be Prince of peace as prophesied by Isaiah (Isaiah 9:6-7). He was immediately recognised as the 'Son of David.' People cried out to him to save them perhaps from the hands of the mighty Romans.

Jesus indeed was a King, of Davidic descendant, who chose to ride a donkey to send across a message that he was coming in peace and to bring peace and not to fight their war for deliverance. He himself has said 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.' He knew very well what it cost to be a peacemaker, a messenger of peace and a Prince of Peace.      

Depression:Let's talk

Today, 7th April, is World Health Day. World Health Organisation (WHO) has chosen 'Depression: Let's talk' as the theme for 2017. What an appropriately chosen theme for campaign.

        I want to ask few questions. How many of us are suffering from depression? How many of us have suffered depression? How many of us knew we were in depression when we had it? How many of us have found someone to talk to when we were depressed? Do we have someone to talk to? Perhaps we already know the answer. I simply want to highlight how often it is neglected. Technological advances has not helped much either.

        Today we have so many 'social networking avenues' but I wonder if we are driven away from each other more than making real connection. These so called social medias seems to portray only one side of the story ie the so-called best of our lives. 

Thank you WHO for recognizing the importance to talk about something that is so common and yet so neglected. In short, all i am saying is i long for a real, meaningful, personal, face to face and engaging conversation rather than meeting/chatting over some bright screen.