Context of raising children

There is something that is normal. There is something that is mindless. There is something that is beyond usual.

Some of these notions change with time. I know that. However, it was more to me a fact, and not applied.

When raising children, at times, I felt that they asking for stuff, which we or our parents couldn't afford in childhood or in my judgement is just extravagant, or asking for things, which were not even available in our time, is something not normal. And so this needs to be corrected. Lots of discussions, conflicts arise because of that.

It is important to realise for me that the children are just being themselves in the context of their time and space when that happens. So it doesn't deserve a reprisal. So that's what is being cool about it. Ok, they are fine in their current times

Yet, are they mindful? Was I mindful back then? The answer to that may not be so contextual. And this for sure deserves an inquiry. A critical analysis of how I am and what I do is a very personal exercise and that deserves attention.

When does one get onto this journey of personal awareness -- that's another question.

Slumber

Waking up my soul from slumber
But the body still likes to sleep, busy with self
Ignoring the calls, like these
every day, as if,
Been there, done that, enough of this
let me be, and be it would all
settle down, slowly

Unease, there is still, refusing to settle down
something looks for hope, a better way
a better day

When I shut off, these channels, these threads,
these playlists, these groups
and leave my phone behind
I see, I can smell, the flowers, the wind, the burning garbage
I see, the road wet from last night rains
and a sensation of chill on my skin, when I drive
It all looks ok, normal, as if, do all that matter

I am left confused, to be with the bliss
or be with chaos, which is the greater truth
or is it our destiny to see the co-existence
of a disturbing chaos, and a quite nature

So I let it be, for now, and choose to go back to
slumber. May be there is a next day,
for now,
let's get back to work

- Pankaj

The Job of Radcliffe

Shut up in a lonely mansion,
with police night and day
Patrolling the gardens to keep assassins away,
He got down to work, to the task of settling the fate
Of millions. The maps at his disposal were out of date
And the Census Returns almost certainly incorrect
But in seven weeks it was done, the frontiers decided,
A continent for better or worse divided.

- W.H.Auden, 1966 Poem on the job of Mr. Radcliffe who drew the line of partition between India and Pakistan

Kashmir and 370

BJP wanted a debate on 370. It's happening now. What we hear from both Omar and Mehbooba, is unfortunately historically and factually very correct. I personally don't like this 370 business. The sad thing is that Kashmir is lot more complicated than what we would just like to assume through interpreted news.
I am also liking the fact that many other leaders of this country are quiet on this aspect and conversation/confusion/denial is directly between the centre and the accepted leaders in Kashmir. BJP must now show the sensitivity and alacrity to respect the problem and find some genuine solution. Now that the Congress is silent (atleast till today), BJP/RSS is really talking to who really matter.
Very interested to see how it evolves and how mature we are about it.
I often hear Kashmir hamara hain. Wish someday I hear Kashmiri hamare hain (with all their misgivings about the rest of the country)..
Let's hope BJP looks to solve the Kashmir and Kashmiri issue rather than only 370 issue. For this they would have to stop 'parroting' and start 'listening'

Love listening to Ken Robinson again and again

These lines from his talk just hit so much..

If you are not prepared to be wrong, you will never come up with anything original,
If you are not prepared to be wrong,
And by the time kids get to be adults,
most kids have lost that capacity,
They have become frightened to be wrong,
And we are now running national education systems where mistakes are the worst things you can make.
and the result is that we are educating people out of their creative capacities

Watch this video at

 

Lemon, Snail and Fear

Today, we did a stop at the Local Nursery and bought lots of plants. One of them was a lemon bush. The helper put this shrub polypot on the back seat of our car. As we were coming back Mitali noticed a snail in the pot. It was quite an entertainment driving back.

When we reached home and settled, snail continued to be a curiosity thing. Mitali and Abhimanyu noticed that it is now eating the leaves of lemon. I don't find snails very attractive and would not touch them. I don't know but what said in me to ask Abhimanyu to lift the snail with hands and drop in the garden below. Abhimanyu ran towards the lemon shrub, lifted it and dropped..

My fears are my fears. Happy that I didn't transfer it to him ! He will never hesitate to touch snails.

Beautiful lines

Darare Darare hain mathe pe maula

Murramaat Muqadar ki kar de mere maula

-- Prasoon Joshi