A Few days back, i was teaching Sowmya from her Hindi book. Actually, it is a story and it went like this....
In a jungle there was a crow living happily - access to plenty of fresh foods, good friends, freedom to fly anytime, anywhere - and was very content too. One fine day it saw a Swan and thought how beautiful and pure white it is. The crow thought swan must be the most happiest bird in this world, since it is beautiful and asked her so. The swan replied, not me but the parrot is the most beautiful bird. The crow flew far and wide to find a parrot and so it did and then asked the parrot the same Q. But the parrot replied, not me the Peacock is the most beautiful bird. Again the crow flew in search of peacock. No matter, how far it flew, it couldn't find a peacock. Then it tried a Zoo and there it saw a peacock in a cage. The crow was dumbstruck. Wow. Really i found the most beautiful bird, it thought. It told peacock, "No one can be most beautiful than you and sure you must be the most happiest bird in the world. Look around, how many people standing around your cage and praising your beauty.". The peacock said, "Look around me. I am in a cage. I don't have any freedom. My beauty brought this misfortune to me. I am very miserable. I wish i were as ugly and as free and happy as you".
After reading this story, Sowmya asked me, sure no one can put me in a cage, as i am human. So, beauty will not be a problem for me, right?
I don't know how to put this in words, which she can understand. Cage is just a metaphor. Your cage may not be something very physical. Sometimes protectiveness will hinder you to spread your wings fully. Or sometimes your emotions like love, affection, commitment, binds you. Humans are immured in more ways than animals. But i don't have a heart to show her the real world now and told her, "No. It is not a problem. You can be as beautiful as you want".
I read this Tamil haiku, when i was a teenager and couldn't understand it then.
வரங்களே சாபங்கள்
ஆகுமென்றால்
இங்கே தவங்கள்
எதற்கு?
Later, i learned how boons are all always a curse in disguise. It is really scary, to think how this little girl is going to cope with all the things in this world. But, i have to be brave and let her go in the right time.
Coming to the above story, the crow has all the freedom it has but it is living in the most dangerous place, The jungle. It should use all its wits, concentration, awareness to survive every single moment. But that is called life, that is called living. The journey is life not the destination.
The peacock is pretty, living in the safest place, The cage. It need not do anything, it gets food, care, etc... easily. But that is not living in true sense.
But her Question diverted me from noticing that she totally missed the moral of the story. To be happy and content you need not be the most beautiful and/or smart. You can be just you and be happy and content.
In a jungle there was a crow living happily - access to plenty of fresh foods, good friends, freedom to fly anytime, anywhere - and was very content too. One fine day it saw a Swan and thought how beautiful and pure white it is. The crow thought swan must be the most happiest bird in this world, since it is beautiful and asked her so. The swan replied, not me but the parrot is the most beautiful bird. The crow flew far and wide to find a parrot and so it did and then asked the parrot the same Q. But the parrot replied, not me the Peacock is the most beautiful bird. Again the crow flew in search of peacock. No matter, how far it flew, it couldn't find a peacock. Then it tried a Zoo and there it saw a peacock in a cage. The crow was dumbstruck. Wow. Really i found the most beautiful bird, it thought. It told peacock, "No one can be most beautiful than you and sure you must be the most happiest bird in the world. Look around, how many people standing around your cage and praising your beauty.". The peacock said, "Look around me. I am in a cage. I don't have any freedom. My beauty brought this misfortune to me. I am very miserable. I wish i were as ugly and as free and happy as you".
After reading this story, Sowmya asked me, sure no one can put me in a cage, as i am human. So, beauty will not be a problem for me, right?
I don't know how to put this in words, which she can understand. Cage is just a metaphor. Your cage may not be something very physical. Sometimes protectiveness will hinder you to spread your wings fully. Or sometimes your emotions like love, affection, commitment, binds you. Humans are immured in more ways than animals. But i don't have a heart to show her the real world now and told her, "No. It is not a problem. You can be as beautiful as you want".
I read this Tamil haiku, when i was a teenager and couldn't understand it then.
வரங்களே சாபங்கள்
ஆகுமென்றால்
இங்கே தவங்கள்
எதற்கு?
Later, i learned how boons are all always a curse in disguise. It is really scary, to think how this little girl is going to cope with all the things in this world. But, i have to be brave and let her go in the right time.
Coming to the above story, the crow has all the freedom it has but it is living in the most dangerous place, The jungle. It should use all its wits, concentration, awareness to survive every single moment. But that is called life, that is called living. The journey is life not the destination.
The peacock is pretty, living in the safest place, The cage. It need not do anything, it gets food, care, etc... easily. But that is not living in true sense.
But her Question diverted me from noticing that she totally missed the moral of the story. To be happy and content you need not be the most beautiful and/or smart. You can be just you and be happy and content.
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