One night recently while getting ready for bed S began to have the following conversation with me -
S: Amma, day and night, day and night day and night…you were at the same boarding school?
Myself: Siddhu, boarding school implies that you are away from your parents for a long period of time. So, yes my entire childhood I was at the same boarding school for every day of the year. I got two months summer vacation and that was when I saw my parents.
S: But why did PTP Thatha put you in a boarding school?
Myself: He had no choice, dear. In the place that we lived, there was only one school and that was a boarding school.
S: Then, why did not PTP Thatha search for a job in a place which had both, boarding schools and day schools? That way he can send you and Peddamma to the day school so that you guys could live with your parents when you were children?
Myself (blank mind): That's a tough question. May be you should ask Thatha yourself.
S (after 2 mins of thinking): I think I know the answer. I think Thatha likes Swami more than you and Peddamma. if he moved away form PTP, then he will miss Swami. Thats why he stayed back in PTP even though he had to send you to boarding school.
…The next question was imminent. So, even before he asked I said, "Maybe. But I love the two of you more than anything and anybody in this whole world - even more than Swami. So, you will always be with me till you decide to go farther away for your studies."
I was amazed at S's thought process. I am a little above 30 and I always got the same question about my dad's job. But I never even got close to the answer that S got. On telling my dad, neither did he tell if S was correct nor did I ask him. I only realized how important it is to allow children to question with an open mind. I think in that questioning capability they search for satisfying answers which is a wonderful skill to acquire for future years. For that matter, studies have revealed that a child's mind is capable of extensive thinking - how creative the thinking gets depends on how well the child's environment fosters such thinking.
S: Amma, day and night, day and night day and night…you were at the same boarding school?
Myself: Siddhu, boarding school implies that you are away from your parents for a long period of time. So, yes my entire childhood I was at the same boarding school for every day of the year. I got two months summer vacation and that was when I saw my parents.
S: But why did PTP Thatha put you in a boarding school?
Myself: He had no choice, dear. In the place that we lived, there was only one school and that was a boarding school.
S: Then, why did not PTP Thatha search for a job in a place which had both, boarding schools and day schools? That way he can send you and Peddamma to the day school so that you guys could live with your parents when you were children?
Myself (blank mind): That's a tough question. May be you should ask Thatha yourself.
S (after 2 mins of thinking): I think I know the answer. I think Thatha likes Swami more than you and Peddamma. if he moved away form PTP, then he will miss Swami. Thats why he stayed back in PTP even though he had to send you to boarding school.
…The next question was imminent. So, even before he asked I said, "Maybe. But I love the two of you more than anything and anybody in this whole world - even more than Swami. So, you will always be with me till you decide to go farther away for your studies."
I was amazed at S's thought process. I am a little above 30 and I always got the same question about my dad's job. But I never even got close to the answer that S got. On telling my dad, neither did he tell if S was correct nor did I ask him. I only realized how important it is to allow children to question with an open mind. I think in that questioning capability they search for satisfying answers which is a wonderful skill to acquire for future years. For that matter, studies have revealed that a child's mind is capable of extensive thinking - how creative the thinking gets depends on how well the child's environment fosters such thinking.
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