A LESSON FROM CHILDREN
Before joining
Carmel, I used to regularly play board games with a friend of mine. This friend
had a little girl who, being around two years old, would sit with one of us and
watch the game with lot of excitement. Sometimes we would allow her to roll the
dice at which her eyes would light up and she would shout with joy. We always
wondered what she understood but were happy to see her happy. But as she
started getting older, things slowly started changing. She was no longer satisfied with being a mere
spectator. As soon as we would start the game, she would rush to the board and
pick up the dice and say “They are MINE!” We would tell her, “Yes they are
yours, but can we please have them for some time so we can play?” But no amount
of coaxing or bargaining would make her yield the dice. Finally, after having
tried everything, we would try to distract her and
slowly get the dice out of her fist. But she was smarter than we
thought. As soon as she sensed what we were trying to do, she
would put the dice in her mouth! At this we had to accept defeat and
leave her alone for fear that she might swallow them rather than give them to
us.
Incidents like these or similar ones may be common in families with
small children. We may think it is cute and funny. Some may even analyze it
psychologically and comment on the behaviour of the child and/or the parents.
But is there anything that we can learn from this? I would like to suggest two
of them.
1.
We are no different
from children. In the case of children, we permit such behaviour, to some
extent, because we think it is harmless and that they will overcome it with
age. But if we introspect and look into our own lives, we find in ourselves the
same unyielding character. The dice get replaced with something else. We all
have attachments that we are not ready to let go of, come what may. We all
desire to have a faith like Abrahams but are rarely ready to make sacrifices.
The attachment may be to money, fame, authority, beauty, clothes, our passions,
knowledge, shopping, MY ideas, MY reason, MY opinion, MY suggestion, and many
other things that we cannot detach from but which are really a hindrance in our
growth as spiritual persons and also in our daily relationships with people.
We fail to see that everything that we have is received as a gift from God and we
actually have nothing of our own, not even our own life.
2.
When we see such
behaviour in children, doesn’t it actually make us wonder what Jesus may have
meant when he said “Unless you become like little children, you cannot enter
the kingdom of God (Mt 18:3) “. The essence lies in the same behaviour
mentioned above. The only thing worth clinging on to is the Kingdom of God. No
amount of persecution, trials, and worldly attractions should take us away from
this. The kingdom of God is our only Goal. The more we empty ourselves of our
attachments, the more we will be filled with God.
What are you attached to? The kingdom of
God, or something else? If it is something else then maybe it’s time to loosen
your fist and maybe even open the mouth and spit out at least one of the dice.
Sr. Benedicta of the Holy Face (Novice)
Carmel of God the
Father, Pune
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