While browsing through the online
news, I bumped into this article published in Huffington Post.
Dexter told the agency he's ready to fly to
Mars. "But I'm 7, so I can't," he wrote. Just to make sure he isn't
left behind, he reminded NASA that he'll be available in the future.
NASA responded in a letter (see below as
well) encouraging the schoolboy to explore space camp, get good grades and
continue "reaching for the stars."
Dexter's mother, Katrina
Anderson, who posted the correspondence on
imgur, told The Huffington Post via email that her son is over the moon that
NASA wrote him back and included photos and stickers in its
response.
It feels incredible to get response
from someone, when we least expect it, doesn’t it? Imagine the positive impact
NASA was able to create on this little boy, by the reply and associated
gesture. This kinda encouragement induces a high degree of motivation, which is
often a separating factor in between people. Now consider the scenario of
people not responding to inquiry when needed? To me, it is simply a bad
practice. Especially in India, certain people in certain positions, citing the
reason of their tight schedule, seldom reply. This is not just discouraging,
but also sets a bad precedence, not just at personal or professional level, but
also in the society overall. From past several years, I have set a personal
goal, to respond to each and every mail, I receive. Trust me; it’s not as daunting a task as people make it out be. If you can maintain enough discipline,
getting your work done does not interfere with the habit of prompt replying.
Somewhere, behind such practices, the culture plays an important role, I think!
