To be childish or childlike?
The joyous face of a child I saw from the car window remains afresh after days. The face of a little girl asking for alms albeit with the twinkle in her eyes.. The fact that she was out there on the roads day in and day out doing the same thing, did not take away the shine in her eyes. No matter 9 out 10 people did not bother to look at her, not even rolled their windows down. She was at the “job” with equal enthusiasm for the next vehicle that stopped. Unforgettable. Unmatched renewal of faith.
May be that is what people mean when they say we all have a inner child and it is up to us to keep it alive. The quality of being joyous for no reason. It is our basic nature to be in a state of happiness, WITHOUT a rationale. Unfortunately we have surrendered to such a morose life that we need a reason to even smile!
On the other hand we have no qualms of adapting to childish behaviour like refusing to talk to someone after a fight, crying over someone else taking our toys (read materialistic possessions) , insecure if someone gets close to “my” people and ofcourse my favourite observation “since we are not talking now, return my toys” :) type of a thing.
A friend of mine often says that if we have an argument with someone it is just as good as someone showing us a mirror. We may be initially upset over how we look in the mirror but as an adult it is prudent that we accept the fact and move ahead on a corrective path. More and more we do behave like a child screaming on seeing his own face in the mirror and refusing to look at it anymore. Funny eh?
I do hope I am more in touch with my inner child and be childlike but be an adult where required and not adhere to childish patterns. On the lighter side I need this self-encouragement to get myself to call my inner circle of people who never bother to find if I am still alive nor return my umpteen calls. The renewed enthusiasm of the girl on the road is my motivation on not giving up!
May be that is what people mean when they say we all have a inner child and it is up to us to keep it alive. The quality of being joyous for no reason. It is our basic nature to be in a state of happiness, WITHOUT a rationale. Unfortunately we have surrendered to such a morose life that we need a reason to even smile!
On the other hand we have no qualms of adapting to childish behaviour like refusing to talk to someone after a fight, crying over someone else taking our toys (read materialistic possessions) , insecure if someone gets close to “my” people and ofcourse my favourite observation “since we are not talking now, return my toys” :) type of a thing.
A friend of mine often says that if we have an argument with someone it is just as good as someone showing us a mirror. We may be initially upset over how we look in the mirror but as an adult it is prudent that we accept the fact and move ahead on a corrective path. More and more we do behave like a child screaming on seeing his own face in the mirror and refusing to look at it anymore. Funny eh?
I do hope I am more in touch with my inner child and be childlike but be an adult where required and not adhere to childish patterns. On the lighter side I need this self-encouragement to get myself to call my inner circle of people who never bother to find if I am still alive nor return my umpteen calls. The renewed enthusiasm of the girl on the road is my motivation on not giving up!
Comments
Its a nice article on a topic as vast as the sky.. The imaginative expanse is too wide and our perceptions are just beginning to unfold.
Children and child-like thinking have mesmerized many a scientist and they are nowhere close to deciphering their thoughts. But , childish behaviour,is something that is derogatory to the child itself for the child does not know that such behaviour also has a classification.
I think in many ways, we as adults are dying an unnatural death by subscribing to the various rules, accommodations and the prinicples of good governance, which were really non-existent when we made the entry into the world. So shall you sow, so shall you reap. And our thinking morphs into what you want to believe.
As for me, I am thinking hard how to re-kindle the spark I was born with and duly described by Ms.Rowling in her speech. My lil daughter helps me a lot though. When I find difficult dealing with the millions of things adults impress upon me, i resort to my lil girl to become child-like and surrender to her way of viewing things. Believe me that is so refreshing and pure, like a good cold shower on a hot sweltering day..
All the best in your learnings.
What do you think?
It is only a child who can respond to a child wholeheartedly. you too are one, your article proves it.Hope we too will enjoy being child(godlike) with you always.
That is exactly my observation..:)
Mukesh..
Thanks :)
wat have u to think of???
ur 1 of the ppl i know who'll remail kid watever age!!!!!
dont worry tht ziddipan of childhood is still maintained in u!!
- Ralph Emerson
I'll try 2 be truthful : Nice attitude :)
Hakuna Matata: Thanks for the nice line..will remember it!
Venky : Nice u likes it..
They are thought-provoking. I had some interesting thoughts too. Its different. Okay let me go ahead and share :)
It was one of my initial days in Mumbai. I was at Worli sea face with some friends.
A little boy nudged me. He had tears in his eyes and he was pointing one of his hands towards his mouth; clearly suggesting his pangs of hunger.
“A pitiable plight at a puerile age”, I thought.
I had a packet of peanuts in my hand. I chose to give it to him.
I was waiting to see the satisfaction, happiness and gratitude in his face, but his reaction
startled me.
The boy quickly turned around and pranced away with gay abandon. The big red apple he was hiding at his back with the other hand was visible now. He was jubilant about his new achievement and acting skills. I continued to watch his next moves. After spending some playful time with his friends, he approached a new prey. I was surprised at the swiftness with which he could don up a new face that was convincing enough to elicit another gain!
He is not the only one of such kind. He represents a group who are adept in such acting skills. I bet, If you offer them an admission to school or tell them that you could make them earn their money by making them work at a decent place and there was no need to beg, they will run away. Probably,they earn much more by fooling people, you will guess.
Incorrigible liars. Congenital beggars. But are they to be blamed? ..After all they are just kids. They learn and do what has been taught to them. Then they discover the joy of begging and pass on the art to their juniors. A vicious circle!
But, there are another kind of children who are seen at the same places. They try to entertain the visitors or sell some trifles to earn their money. They have been taught to “earn” and not to “beg”.
- Subha
Now the comments for your observations :
A child's blithe eyes and unwavering enthusiasm can surely be a teaching for adults. Reiterating some of your lines :
“No matter 9 out 10 people did not bother to look at her, not even rolled their windows down. She was at the “job” with equal enthusiasm for the next vehicle that stopped. Unforgettable. Unmatched renewal of faith”
The first thought that came across me after having read this is :
Karmanyeva adhikaraste ma phaleshu kadachana - Krishna
Krishna advises, man should emphasize on doing the work than on the reward of the work. Man has the right on “work”, not on the “result”.
Krishna has also said in Geeta - Happiness is within our self and does not depend on anybody or anything.
Probably, its very true that kids are more near to GOD, they tend to follow these rules very well…. I have observed , kids are more involved in doing an activity than the result it could bring…Kids tend to be less affected by corporeal equations.They depend more on their self for being happy.
Adults are bound by responsibilities, obligations, competition,peer pressure, deadlines and so on and so forth – “sab moh maya hai” :)
- Subha
Unfortunately, we are living in a time where we are expected to be more mature ppl, where a childlike genuine behavior is no longer appreciated. Over the years we lose the innocence and the childlike heart we once had, in many instances to be one with the so called good changes of the world.
To be childlike is being truthful,loyal,genuine,playful,
contented just being carefree. But its a difficult task when you really try to be like one..You agree?
What is childlike is Godly (and all that is Godly, is good). But gone are the days when there was a difference between good and evil. Now is the era, when evil is hip, good and happening.
Jus my thots :-), don't know how much of it agreeable..
Kind of wakes the inner self and its to important to keep it alive
Thanx sharing, write on ! :)