Thank you Blogadda, for choosing this post as their Spicy Saturday Pick !!!
Have you noticed the just born babies ???? They cry to tell that they want something, like food or water. Or they are in pain or just uncomfortable. Its up to the mother to solve the puzzle on why the crying happens. It’s not that she is an expert at it, but she learns to know the different cries for different needs.
But, apart from the cries for basic necessities, the baby never cries for a cradle or a bed or toys or any materialistic things. One thing is, the baby’s not aware of their existence and second, its happy to get its food and love. Its we, who introduce the babies to the world of toys and other things and its we who create a yearning in the baby’s mind for these things.
And then when the baby grows up, the needs too keep growing. And more interesting thing is the baby now sees others, with different kinds of toys and games. It might not be able to understand the ownership of a house or a car, but certainly the toys make an impact on that young brain. Now, it wishes to possess those things, which it does not have. Crying is the technique, which the baby has mastered so far….and so the baby cries for want of new things. If the parents buy those things, then u see the baby smile. But, if left to crying, the baby subsides his crying and just carries on with whatever toy is there. Its like asking for something and later accepting the fact, if you don’t get the desired thing and carrying on with life.
But, when the baby grows up to a young girl or boy, the wishes are asked to be fulfilled by the parents. And if any wish is not fulfilled, it leads to tantrums. Sometimes, there can be violent outbursts too. The need to possess things, which they desire grows more and more, as parents keep buying them. It’s this age, when most parents fail to teach the difference between likes and needs. It’s essential we buy what we need more than what we like.
There comes the phase of teenagers, who start blaming the parents, if their likes and wishes are not happening as they want it to be.
This trend of blaming parents and comparing oneself with others who possess more things, keeps growing till they start on a job of their own.
When they try to manage their own money, comes the realization that whatever they like cannot be bought with all the money they have. Because any amount of money is not enough, if the likes over power the needs in your life.
Those trying times can lead a many towards faith and prayers. They fall prey into the thinking, that God will get you anything, if you pray with a sincere heart. Yeah, but not all the materialistic things, we keep yearning day in and day out.
As we age, we mellow down with the wish list and learn to accept things that happen to us. We realize that tantrums don’t work with God. And blaming the parents is futile. We get what we are supposed to – sometimes things happen that we don’t really cherish. But we learn, that this is the way of life.
Praying might give us some peace of mind or give us strength to handle difficult situations – but we need to face things thrust upon us, in the name of life’s tests.
In the final years, we reach the same stage as that of a new-born baby – our needs are only food and some love. Other things become immaterial to us. All the materialistic things we bought and enjoyed are no more important, as love is.
This is the time, we yearn for our loved ones to be near. And even if it doesn’t happen, we learn to get on – Its like asking for something and later accepting the fact, if you don’t get the desired thing and carrying on with life.
We and our mind, come a full circle.
Such a profound post Uma! *standing ovation*
LikeLike
Gee, thanks Shail. 🙂 *Bows down* 🙂 🙂
LikeLike
I am first?? Yay!
LikeLike
YES, of course. 🙂 🙂
LikeLike
The chain link from the baby stage to the last stage is beautifully woven, Uma! Once the children settle down, we just need a word or two of affection from them and nothing else.
I am also with Shail, for giving you a standing ovation!
LikeLike
Hey, thank you Sandhya. 🙂 🙂 From the beginning to end of our life, we fail to realize the most important thing (love) and run behind all unwanted things.
LikeLike
How true this is, Uma. I like the line ‘We realize that tantrums don’t work with God’! But how we try!! 🙂
LikeLike
But we take a lifetime to realize that Corinne – we offer so many things to God, in turn for something else – it doesnt work like that.
And then there are those, who fail to realize this in their lifetime.
LikeLike
A profound thought very beautifully shared!! Good one, Uma!
LikeLike
Glad u like it….thank u. 🙂
LikeLike
So very true Uma :)Loved the way you’ve conveyed it.. so beautifully written!!
LikeLike
Its the failure to realize these kind of truths that leads to half the misery.
Am glad u loved it. 🙂
LikeLike
Brilliantly written 🙂
In a way, that’s part of why they say old age is second childhood …
LikeLike
So true na….old age is indeed second childhood.
Thanks Ash. 🙂
LikeLike
wow Ums… how true.. well written as well! 🙂
you are so right – at the end of the day/journey – its food and love that matters the most! 🙂
Loved the post!
LikeLike
Glad u love the post, Pix. 🙂 🙂 Many of us fail to realize whats important in life.
LikeLike
Brilliant post !
You know, in my childhood, it was not very common for parents to give in to each and every demand of the child; actually, the way we were brought up, we never thought we should “demand” toys and stuff like todays kids do. Parents never felt bad about saying , No, and we got used to being nicely refused, and learned the value of things. We were quite happy with whatever was there or appeared from time to time, and learnt to share.
I wonder if following such tenets while bringing up kids, made for a better old age, mentally at least…… than what we might conceivably have….
LikeLike
Thank u Suranga. 🙂
Yes, we too faced a lots of NO and the parents were not feeling bad or low abt it. Actually, it strengthens one’s mind to accept a NO from very young age. And this helps in dealing with disappointments later.
LikeLike
As we grow old we also need the newspaper and the score Uma, like all the time 😛
Jokes apart, you have written it so beautifully! The flow was so good that I was disappointed when it ended 🙂
LikeLike
LOL !!! Score and newspaper !!! 🙂 🙂
Thank u CR !!! 🙂
LikeLike
A beautiful thought, yes you are right .. Its a full circle.. But then we as humans have this problem we never get satisfied ..
Loved reading it 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks Bikram….thats where we err….the realization of what we really want in life, is very late….
LikeLike
Absolutely brilliantly written. Profound. Let us all learn from these thoughts and strive to be loving and giving. After all we’ll become children one day and long for only love. Beautiful. Beautiful.
LikeLike
Thank you so much…..I am glad u liked it. 🙂
Yes, indeed….its a lesson to learn to be loving and giving.
LikeLike
No wonder everyone says that in old age people become kids 🙂
A very well written piece my dear!!! Life indeed comes to a full circle some way or the other.
LikeLike
Thanks Smita…..so instead of understanding what we are going towards in our old life, we keep building castles in air, for nothing.
LikeLike
Absolutely perfect Uma. What can one add to this? The circle of life that all of us walk from start to finish.
LikeLike
Exactly my point…..so many ppl understand this, but still go after things instead of love. And finally, when they have all the things in life, they long for love in old age.
LikeLike
very well written Uma..!!! and i love the tantrums dont work with God..!
LikeLike
Its so true, right….but we fail to understand that and keep offering Him bribes…
LikeLike
Very real, very true and very well said. From your comment section, it looks like everybody knows this and agrees with you, but all of us are still unable to stop chasing the materialistic goodies. I should try and understand the depth of these thoughts and implement a few changes on my life 🙂
LikeLike
What a profound observation! Hats off
LikeLike
Amazing post uma…The way you have knotted the growth at each stage is just…too good.
At this point, I remember the famous quote of Shakesphere – All the world’s a stage and we’re mere players.
LikeLike
Wow, what an amazing post! Loved each and every word of it and agree to it totally, profound and simply brilliant 🙂
LikeLike
A very nice post Uma, and the timing couldn’t have been better as there is a situation involving a child whose parents are never saying NO. And they take offense if pointed out! There is a clear case of ‘feeling of entitlement’ in that child:(
LikeLike
Very well written Ums! If only we realize things in time 🙂
LikeLike
Hi,
first timer here…loved this post..very well written..
-Uma
LikeLike
Gosh! Awesome post! Such depth. Loved it a lot!
LikeLike
what a beautiful and thoughtful post…
I love the perspective
//our needs are only food and some love// and this is very well said.
LikeLike
What a profound post, Uma! So beautifully written! Loved it!
LikeLike
words flowing to form a full circle Uma :))
LikeLike
Good Post!!
LikeLike
wonderfully written!!!! the way you presented the life as a baby to old age is true and really nice 🙂 🙂
Liked it 🙂
LikeLike
The post reminded me of the Seven Ages. A very well written piece Uma and something we can all relate to. Kudos!
LikeLike
“…our needs are only food and some love. Other things become immaterial to us. All the materialistic things we bought and enjoyed are no more important, as love is.”
This lesson is not easily learnt.
LikeLike
Such an insightful post…touches a chord. Sometimes I measure how many times I’ve said “No” to my kids…life is so easy for them, that I’m always conscious of trying to make it artificially a bit of a struggle, so that they learn this lesson and don’t get that dangerous sense of entitlement!
Congrats on the Spicy Sat pick!
LikeLike
brilliant post congrats on the spicy pick
LikeLike