While I was a kid, my summer holidays were often spent going to my grandparent’s place and visiting relatives in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. That bonding I developed has kept me connected to my roots and loved ones. But now this intentional building of relationships has taken a back seat.
With growing competition, there is a desire to make our children super kids and they barely have any time or space to connect. Why is the present generation more focused on competency of children rather than connections? I’m in no way recommending you to stop sending your children for some summer classes, but these connections are God given connections to nurture and to build one another; valuable lessons which I think is not taught in any class room.
Why can’t we use this summer as a family bonding time to spend quality time with our children? A great resource written by our friends Rod and Ruthie Gilbert called “Family Falooda” would give you great ideas to have a fun time with your children. We have featured one of the chapters in the Family Fun Time column of this issue.
Selfishness and individualism also has been invading the culture of fun, love and hospitality. Caring for the elderly and spending time with the needy have become forgotten virtues as these are handled today by professional services.
I received a joke through whatsapp which made me think. A man received a call from the elderly care home where his mother was admitted. The care taker called to say that his mother’s condition was getting worse and wanted him to hurry to there. The man hurried to his mom and she shared some of her wishes on her death bed. The son was glad to fulfill any wish of his mother. She said, “Please order 10 air conditioners for the 10 rooms here. Please make sure that you supply enough food everyday for the inmates as some days we don’t get enough food here. Replace all the bed sheets and fumigate this place as there are lots of bedbugs and mosquitoes.” The son replied, “But why are you telling me all this now when you are at the verge of death? Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” The mother replied, “I have somehow managed with the difficulties here and I’m now leaving this world. But I wanted this place to be a better place for you, when your children put you here!” History does repeat itself and it can be sometimes too painful for us to handle then! So spend time on building vital relationships this summer with your kids and your extended family so you will have no regrets later!
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