What kind of a tree is victory?

Life in the city has become so noisy that it has drowned peace, silence and soul.

Waking up to an alarm that should be loud enough to bring us back from slumberland, we start our wakefulness with cacophony. Rushing through the morning ritual of getting the children and their tiffins ready for school makes time fly. Is there a way to slow it down? Recently we, my children and me, were going through a routine morning when we started discussing phonics. My four year old is showing interest in books and wants to put sounds together. He mentioned enthusiastically that ,"it is W for victory!" Was it Chak De? Where had he heard the word? When English wants to denote w and v, both, to say the same sound, can you flaw the thinking of a small child?

I explained, " No, bitta, it is V for victory and w for watch. It is getting to be seven. Now let us get ready." I was there with him... but not quite. I wanted to pull him into the race against time. School gates will close. We have to get there in time, etc. etc.

He, then said something which stopped me dead in my tracks. "Mama," he asked innocently after pondering for a few seconds, " What kind of a tree is vicTREE?" The emphasis is the way HE said it. Four year old. What kind of a tree is victory? He waited. He knew I would answer. No matter what I am doing or how much in a hurry- if my children ask- they recieve an answer. Even if it is sometimes just to acknowledge the question. I thought. What should I tell him?

"Victory, Moksh, is winning..."? Na! Boring. Where is the imagination? Where is the playfulness? Where is the spark to start a fire? To set him thinking and wanting to learn more? I smiled," Moksh, that is a wonderful question! ( that gave me a few seconds to put my thoughts together) Victory is the tree everyone wants to climb. This tree gives a fruit people find sweeter and more delicious than the mango," I replied earnestly. Then I rounded it off with the unimaginative- "Victory is winning".

Within a few seconds a four year old had managed to slow down time. He made us pause and think. He brought us back to now- rather than just running to catch the next moment. Never really managing it because each moment leads to another one which then needs to be caught. Why can we not learn from the children? Why can we not be simple-hearted and live NOW? I could honestly not read beyond the first few pages of Eckhart's Now. This may be a politically suicidal statement. But- I could not. I do not even remember the few pages I did manage to read. My son brought the Now much more sharply into focus and made time stop.

Mornings used to be for gentle awakenings. For leisurely morning walks. For deep breaths and deeper prayers. Where did those mornings go? Those mornings when, during vacations, we woke up at midday and had lunch without thinking about breakfast are long gone. Now the children who are learning music or skating or have to leave for those tuitions or ... numerous other things... that they fill their time with. They are busy! Where is their childhood? Where are the pithhoo, the paalaa, the staappoo and the kho- kho? And would you allow your child to play Hide and seek in the public park? Did we ever think somebody could kidnap us? Were all strangers monstors? Where have we arrived? Is this the price we pay for progress? Is this progress?

As a parent and a well-meaning adult, I want to make this locality, this city, this country, this world a safer place for children. I want to make it safe for children to run a sweat playing in the park once again. I want the children to enjoy a picnic in open and safe spaces. I want them to laugh freely, to raise their heads in wonder and see how beautiful the world really is. I want to make it beautiful.

Are there others who think like me? I am sure there are. This posting may just start a movement. I hope it does. I pray it does.

Here's to living in the present moment- happily, safely, with eyes full of wonder and soul full of curiosity.