AFVOA Newsletter 03 of 2020

Section 5 - Memoirs CV 2 No. 03 / 2020 Page 97 of 167 should not look forward to a better tomorrow. It just means that we should make better use of today. Come on, fill your today and ours too with your good deeds and fabulous thoughts. Third, advising for the societal good. What I am happy about AFVOA is that its email system and WhatsApp are not overburdened with ‘forwards.’ I am not against ‘forwards’ per se. I do forward messages on and off. My ‘forward’ should meet at least one of my criteria. The ‘forward’ should include beneficial information. The ‘forward’ should bring cheers all around. Or, it should be genuine. The last criterion is not that critical when it is a good joke or some common information that is harmless. In this age of exploding electronic social media, rumors abound on an unbelievable scale. There is one easy way to get around such vicious messages. Follow a simple dictum. Do not forward unless you can identify the source with reasonable accuracy. We hit the forward button/icon because we get carried away by our fancy for the message without realizing that we have been taken in by the rumor. Our first impulse is to share the rumor with our family and friends. It is better to keep your temptation at bay when you do not know the original source. Do not FORWARD the rumor and delete it from your device. Now that I have concluded with many important and valuable pieces of advice, may I request you to forward this article to your friends in other groups! You have many good reasons to forward. First, you know the reliable source for certain. It is Me! Second, if you enjoyed this essay, it is but natural that you should spread your joy among your friends. Third, if you did not enjoy this essay, you have an excellent opportunity to take revenge on your friends who have relentlessly bombarded you with their ‘forwards’ all these days! Post script : I have greatly benefited from liberal (both qualitatively and quantitatively) advice from my two daughters all these years. As they have vetted and edited this essay, I can boldly assert that this article has passed the litmus test of their approbation. Now, you know why daughters are precious!