Jain Center Los Angeles CA 1998 07 10th Anniversary of Jain Bhavan

Author(s): Jain Center So CA Los Angeles
Publisher: USA Jain Center Southern California

Page 125

Single Indian Friends
by Veenaben Sheth
Single Indian Friends (SIF) is an organization created for singles, divorcees and widows over the age of thirty. The group was established in October 1995 and was formed with the idea of providing moral support and social activities for people who are alone. The group is not a match-making service; it instead aims to furnish a network for people without family support to help each other.
When tragedy strikes, your life can suddenly take a complete one hundred and eighty-degree turn. It can hit a person extremely hard, especially when the lifestyle in this country is such that one is left alone in all aspects of living. Raising children, taking care of the household, managing financial/business matters, and facing our society all by one's self can be a tremendous task. I didn't know how hard it was until I had to go through it myself. It is especially difficult to deal with such adversity in an Indian society, where anything out of the ordinary seems to be looked down upon.
Through my experience of living alone, I saw that there was a definite need for some sort of group where South Asian people in similar positions can come together and provide each other with support through shared experiences. Therefore, with the help of other interested parties, first SIF meeting was arranged. Response for the group was great and we have held regular monthly meetings ever since. Over the past two years, we have held several group discussions and organized many events including - picnics, sightseeing tours, walks, temple trips, dinner and dancing.
After living in this country for so many years, we all need to understand and adjust to the changing times of our generation. People don't always have the opportunity to lead "regular" lives - happily married with kids and a white picket fence. Jainism teaches us to help others and to incorporate a multiplicity of viewpoints. Therefore, we should understand the tribulations of divorcees and single parents by putting ourselves in their shoes.
We should be more conscious of the problems that such families and individuals face. While everybody is more than willing to attend someone's funeral or pooja, we need to realize that everyday life is the place where these people really need our help and support. By merely overcoming fears and uncomfortability, you can really brighten someone's day with just a simple phone call. Thanks for recognizing SIF and I request people to search and offer other avenues to help people if they see a need that hasn't been addressed.
We have a lot of prayers that give me peace of mind.
- Mili Shah (10)
Jain Education Intemational