On Kids

I had the quaint opportunity to witness something really memorable in my early morning walk today.
A kid in a nearby slum about 5-6 years old was on his tiny little bicycle riding away at the best possible speed that he can. The mother screamed from inside of her dwelling some place as to where the hell is he thinking he is going. Prompt came the reply that he is going to the shit joint to do what he needs to do in the morning. Mom retorted " on the bicycle' and the kid hollered back that it allows me to reach the place early and also get back fast.

It was quaint because he was a scrawny little fella and he already seemed to have a great sense of practical humor. The ability to pick up the bike and travel to the shit joint which is about a a few hundred meters away and then his retort making his mom giggle made my day. Kept a smile on my face for the whole time.

I have a friend who keeps bringing a smile on my face whether it is over chat or a phone call. whatever the situation and the environment around she would always be buoyant in her spirits and yet always considerate about what is going on.

It is easy for the kid to do what he did and I have seen kids come up with amazing one liners that no copy writer or author can ever fathom. In fact art copies real life. It is great to listen to kids. On an earlier occasion I had mentioned about the advertisements that TV keeps doling out. The kids lap it up and come up with perceptions of their own. They would talk about it. We Indians have a habit of repetition in our language. One of the kids was expressing his disgust on complaints to parents and said please do not complain-shamplain about this matter...and the other kid who was told this, retorted quite firmly, "I understand complain and I would not be doing it but what the hell is 'shamplain' . Things like these are quite common among kids. Their positive energy is infectious. They see everything in the light of now. There is nothing else that matters. The ability to stay in the now and recourse your actions based on the current incidents and scenarios without worrying where it is going to take them, makes for a great human spirit in a relative sense. Dig deeper and yes there are flaws in that too.

But the primal human nature is necessarily to be free willed and free spirited, to be one with nature and enjoy in the partaking of this brilliant celebration called life. Of course, we have complicated this whole easy going wonderful way of life to something of a quagmire that we cannot seem to untangle from. The need for positivism in speech, thought and action emanates from the fact that we have crumpled ourselves into the deep throes of painstaking wants and needs that do us no good than bring in more wants and needs. This imbroglio we pass on to our kids and further to our grand kids and keeps going on and on.

But the primal tendencies showcases itself whenever we witness a kid in action. It is pure pleasure to watch and listen and learn from these minuscule brilliance of a creation with its insurmountable, unconscious love for life.  

Listening to them is a gas, at all times and sometimes, they could be this small monsters but still cute and funny...

" I like these holes on electric things, it makes me want to place my fingers in them" - Curiosity

"There is a monster behind the door, I can here the sounds he is making" - Imagination

" That bike is good, look at the number of girls who love it" - I dunno what this is exactly hopefully it is that the kid is going to be straight - I am not anti gay or anti- LGBT community, but I would like it if the kid I love is straight

"Grandfather was young then he became old and with graying hair, now he will die, then papa you would become old and graying, then you will die and grandmother also looks like she will die soon, but momma would be there with me forever" - Matter of fact, clarity and love

Adding further after a few seconds of thinking "You would not gray Papa, I think you will not have any hair. you already do not have any" - precise in observation and dagger to the heart straight forwardness.

On the question of vegetables and having a vegetarian burger: with mom asking the question " How come you eat this burger, it is vegetarian and you do not have any vegetarian food I make at home" Pat comes the reply "If you make vegetarian food like this, I will surely have it" - And the truth shall prevail.