Learning from children - a great experience indeed!

The child is the father of the man. What a true proverb it is.

In my personal experience I came across children who displayed extraordinary wisdom. You won’t mind my sharing with you the sweet encounters. A friend of mine often visits me. He used to bring his seven year old son with him. There lived that time on our street two stray dogs which voluntarily assumed the role of our street’s guardians.

They won’t allow a stranger to pass through the street without barking their heads off at them. They won't allow a motorcycle or scooter to pass them. They chase the contrivance to the end of the street. You may think I am callous but from my balcony I enjoyed this drama of two dogs chasing bicyclists who flee with their hearts in their mouths.

This friend of mine who visited my house riding his motorbike was constantly harassed by these mongrels.

One day he was thoroughly fed up. Before even settling down in the chair I offered him, he said fretfully “Why don’t you do something about these wretched dogs. Every time I visit you I run the risk of having my calves bitten off by these devils. If only I had a gun I would shoot them”.

I could see how angry and upset he was. I wanted to say something to pacify him.

But before I opened my mouth his seven year old son intervened. “Papa, there is no need to shoot them. You can solve the problem very easily. Next time when we come we will feed them some biscuits. They will become our friends. They won't bark at us. They won't chase our bike. Instead they will wag their tails”. The positive approach of this child dumbfounded us.

Here comes another enlightening encounter with child wisdom. It took place at a planetarium.

It was a full moon night. Ahead of me in the queue to look at the moon through the telescope was a daughter and dad pair. Father was explained to his child how the moon would appear through the telescope. “Moon is not as nice and smooth like a plate of silver as it appears to our naked eye. Tonight all your ideas about chandamama are going to change. When you peer through that telescope you will notice that its surface is rough, dotted with huge crates and pits and jagged barren mountains.“

When she heard this, the child’s face assumed an expression of sadness and disappointment. “In that case it is better I do not look at the moon through the telescope. I am content with seeing her from a distance. I don’t want to see her defects." She is beautiful to look at with naked eyes."

Poor father who proudly displayed his knowledge cut a sorry figure.

As for me I left the queue and made for the exit. I learnt a lesson from the child. I will also be content with seeing the Moon with my naked eyes as she smiles playing hide and seek with clouds, as she peeps from behind distant hills and as she rises gently from the sea bed like a big gold coin.