During one of my conversations with the office folk over a meeting, I was explaining to my colleagues that as well as when and where I was born, my colour, creed and where I could travel were defined in my passport.

Contrary to what people think, the 1970s and 80s were not a great time to be alive unless you were a white westerner.

My Indian passport from the time -- which labels me as black and denies me permission to travel to South Africa -- shows a world with boundaries and limitations. It said I belonged to a class. And that I was lowly. 

Fortunately, I was a child and did not grasp the full extent of these limitations.

I was also not made wary of these because of the nurturing and protective nature of my parents. As years passed by, I was not restricted. And that made me the person I am today. 

I count myself lucky that I have had the pleasure of living under Baby Boomers who were rational and saw the future with endless equal opportunities. A world that had the purpose of freedom.

In their small way, they helped us reach where we are today. We are very critical people, who rarely stop to smell the roses. 

Today, I give thanks for the Mandelas, Lincolns and Gandhis of the past who have led us to where we are as a world community.

I am grateful that they did not let Churchillian bigotry continue and believed in humanity.

We still have a long way to go as a community. But as we continue to discover ourselves, we will be making the world a better place to live in.

I think that is what we should gift our future generations.