I was watching my little nephew's videos, when he was a lovely10 month old baby. It was such a pleasure to watch him take his FIRST steps.There are at least 10 videos of him taking a few steps forward.Initially he could go just a couple of steps ahead, but in a few days, he was able to walk a few metres, before he fell down.But did he cry? Did he give up? No! In fact, he was thrilled to have taken whatever few steps he could and got up and tried to walk again.
Every child has done the same in the process of learning to walk. We all fall, then rise, then fall again, and one fine day, are able to walk! We don’t even remember those struggles and they are just a part of our growing up. That is a part of nature. All animals, even birds have to struggle before they take their first flight.
Where and how, do we, as adults, forget this process of "Try, try again till you learn to walk/fly" and brand every faltering step as a "failure”? Why do we forget our own NATURE and get disheartened? As kids, we put our full trust and faith in our parents and loved ones, who lovingly guided us by the fingers to help us learn to walk. But they did let go of their grasp in order to let the child walk ahead. The kids too, do not blame or get negative feelings or feel cheated by anyone when they fall.They simply rise again, maybe shed a tear or two, if they are hurt, and carry on again. Why do we forget this attitude? Why can't people stop blaming others for their circumstances and why can't we sometimes let go, to allow a loved one to GROW? What causes this change in ATTITUDE, ENTHUSIASM, and SPIRIT OF LIFE?
It is so true, that one fails only when one stops trying! If every child were to give up every time he/she fell, no one would would ever learn to walk! I think there are a lot of things we can learn from children, especially babies, because they are unaware and untouched by the WAYS OF THE WORLD. Maybe we need to look for the child hidden in each of us, who has lost the sense of happiness without any reason or limits, and is closer to God!
-Rajalakshmi
