Wednesday 13 February 2013

This Women's day, celebrating the girl child, India's woman of tomorrow


This Women's day, celebrating the girl child, India's woman of tomorrow
 



Every night, I ask them tough questions about Math, English and Science.


They in turn fox me by asking tougher questions about life, goodness and kindness.

“Papa – why do you break the signal? And why then, do you pay the cop?

You ask us to be content and not change our bicycle.

Why then every 2 years, do you change your job?

What exactly do you do in your job?” (ummm….tough one, lemme think…)

“Why do you spend so much time on Facebook?”

To the world outside, it’s easier to get away with generic answers like,

The power of social media, the relevance of your online avatar,

The reach of the digital medium, the advantages of networking.

To the kids at home, it’s much difficult to decode this hot-air into a simple answer about

Why do I spend so much time on Facebook?

Every night, I narrate to them feel-good tales about the Sun, Moon, Stars, the Gods and Angels.

They in turn ask me feel-real questions about humanity and love.

“Papa, while you have a holiday every Saturday and Sunday, why does the maid in our home comes every day?

Why do you spend so much time in the shower? Why can’t you use a bucket instead?

You say that Gods are basically our friends, why then we can’t take cameras inside temples?

Why can’t we click our snaps with our favourite Gods and post the pictures on Facebook?”

Every night, I introduce them to various domestic and wild animals.

They in turn ask me, “Why then do we cage animals? Why do we eat them?”

Yes, every night, I try to take them to a wonderful world of fantasy.

They in turn, bring me back to the real world, and most often unfair world we live in.

Every night, I try to make them feel-good. In return, they try to make me Feel.

Every night, I try to make them Science geniuses, Math Whizkids and English experts.

In short, every night, I try hard to make them super-human.

They in turn, simply cut the crap, and try to make me Human.

Every evening, the leader in me, returns home with a great sense of accomplishment.

Every night, the small wonders at home, make me realise, how trivial my so-called achievements have been.

Every night, is yet another reinforcement of the fact that “Child, truly is the father of a man”.

Every night, as I talk to them about the grandiose ways we can change the world;

They bring me to face with the fact that the real change has to start within.

Every night, the smart dad in me tries to teach them the ways of life. The Art and Science of Living.

The young ones, in many subtle ways, re-introduce to me, the lost art of Loving.

Every night is yet another starry, dreamy-eyed time of learning and fun for them.

Every night I teach them. Every night, they educate me.

9 comments:

  1. WOW...! Speechless...truly wonderful! The lines that made an impact
    'In short, every night, I try hard to make them super-human.
    They in turn, simply cut the crap, and try to make me Human
    Yes, every night, I try to take them to a wonderful world of fantasy.
    Every night I teach them. Every night, they educate me'

    A totally different post this time...and I completely agree with you...children make us think! and I am amazed by the questions they ask!
    God Bless the little Angels :)
    Gayu
    They in turn, bring me back to the real world, and most often unfair world we live in.


    ReplyDelete
  2. Isnt it strange... our parents might have also thought the same about us.... generically it is always the same simple qts we ignore or miss and then face it again in a different set up, slightly more refined though... but its always the same.... maybe a reflection of "Step into the shoes.." we asked a qts to our parent when we were kids... then we became parents and were asked the same qts...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks Gayatri! Good to see this piece connecting so well….with all the wonderful and kind folks like you. Am sure, you’re in a much similar lifestage and are inundated with much similar tough questions from your angel.

    Thanks Srini! Wonder, why have you preferred to keep yourself anonymous? You are very true about the cycle of life (and tough questions) and that’s perhaps is defined as ‘Loss of Innocence’. Imagine, when young we were so keen to get these answers. And then life happened. Education happened. Love, Career and Success happened (though not necessarily in that order)…and the answers to all those key questions seemed to matter much, much less. Who cares? And then suddenly, all those lost questions popped up once again! And this time, I better find the answers. If not for them…definitely for myself!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Loved this one Himanshu..Reminded me of something i had read on a signal once--A child gives birth to a mother. The innocence and spontaneity of our kids has so much depth which is long lost and forgotten as we grow up. Thank you for reminding it to me. THANK YOU! --Maithilee

    ReplyDelete
  5. Himan, I guess learning is a part of everyone's life, some teach, some educate, but for humans v need to learn everyday. One can learn so much by being around people, observing, looking, interacting with them, however one
    also needs to be open to learning, else no matter what you do, if I dont want to learn I wont....

    Its like, pouring water over a upside down vessel, not crying over milk which is split. Even the crow learnt how to drink water. So it Actually boils down to what U WANT TO LEARN

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for hopping in Maithilee and Pawan! Appreciate your candid comments.

    "Wake up, smell the coffee, feel alive....and before your venture out in the sunny world, travel light and just drop that baggage. The baggage called Ego". Yes, I want to learn. Not really keen to be a student of the year...but more eager to be a student of life, for life. Keep enriching my learnings guys. Keep being the wonderful coaches that you've always been!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Really nice one! Enjoyed it... Made me smile :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. This is beautiful ,thank you for sharing it with us. Please wish all the lovely ladies :) back home on my behalf.

    Regards
    Sonali

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks a bunch Mamta & Sonali! Mamta, so sweet of you to hop in here. And glad to know that this piece helped in making your special day just a bit more special. Soanli - the lovely ladies out here have conveyed a 'Hi-Five' to you! Cheers!

    ReplyDelete