Moral and social dilemmas

Recently,  I visited my daughter Daania's school for her Sports day and then again for the annual day. However, apart from watching my daughter participate in fun stuff, there is something else that made me to think. It was the parents behavior. No matter what rules school authorities set or how many times they request politely to the parents to please sit on their seats and do not click pictures and let everyone enjoy the event, the over-enthusiastic parents do not budge. They will defy all the rules, ignore social norms of decent behavior. Noteworthy is that, these are well-educated people who work in the best organizations, carry the best pay-packages and have all the luxuries in the world. We are not talking about illiterate people who do not understand the meaning of principles. They do. BUT they choose not to follow it.

I also see this class of people in Malls and food-courts, where you are about to take your seat and some decent looking lady or smartly dressed child just pushes you and takes your seat and then the proud parents/ other family members came triumphantly and take their rightful seat. ( clearly they have won this round ). Poor me, most of the time I look at these people with amazement, sometimes wonder, sometimes disgust and sometimes with pity.

I guess, such parents are trying their children to teach a lesson. The lesson is that it is OKAY to defy the rules, trample underfoot others and be go-getters. Just focus on the goal. May be their children will become winners, may be not. But, what I foresee is, a future where people don't play fair. No regard to social etiquette, manners, respect. I am teaching my child to be respectful towards elders, loving and kind to not only friends and family but also towards other human beings and animals. I teach her that it is okay to lose as long as you try with all your might. I teach her to love life and enjoy, nothing else matters. It saddens my heart to feel that if I succeed in what I seek, my daughter will be one of a dying breed. May be she will be sensitive enough to care for everyone else and she is the one who will suffer because of the new breed of parenting that I see everywhere.

I wish this world to be a kinder and safer place. I wish everyone should respect others. Come one, if you do not click your child's photograph while performing or you will have to wait for another 5 minutes in a mall, it will not be the end of the world. Nothing will change. Can't you just sit back and enjoy the performance of your child, whistle, scream and have a ball. This time is not going to come again. So, enjoy while letting others also do the same. Cheers!!!

Friendship needs little nurturing

Friendship is just like a small plant, all that it needs is a little care. Once the plant has taken roots, you can even skip the daily routine and as little as watering it regularly is fine. However, if you ignore it during the initial days, the plant will wither and die!! Similarly, all that friendship really require that you nurture it. Be there for your friends whenever they need so. Sometimes, simply being there is enough!! However, at times, you do need to water it!! Once in a while, take time out to meet old buddies, surprise them!! Plan a dinner or an outing, if possible. If not, just a 5 minute call would be sufficient.

Friendship is not like other relations which require a lot of effort in maintaining the spark alive. It is not demanding like a child. This is one relation that will make you feel alive and young even when you are 60. It doesn't want you to be there every day!!

Surprisingly, this is the only relation that suffers a  lot once you are grown up and get busy with your life and family!! The one relation that could give you solace and peace when you need one!! If only, we could learn to strike the perfect balance between family, kids, job and social obligations, life would be so much more beautiful...Those who learn the art of preserving and maintaining relationships are the happiest. Little thought, small gesture of affection goes a long way.

Lets not forget that by nature, man ( and woman ;-)) are social animals. We have the innate desire to love and be loved..No matter how old we get, no matter how busy we are, deep down we are still childlike. We need to be around someone who loves us for what we are!! So, lets be there for friends and rather than doing mundane things this Sunday, Lets walk that extra mile and meet an old buddy and come home rejuvenated!!!