It was a lovely evening at the Nature park at the Elagiri hills for hundreds of visitors and for Anna, Aswathy, Anandit and myself last Sunday. Even this household in the picture was enjoying the picnic.
But the child with them drifted away to the hedge of the garden and we watched him standing with his hands outstretched calling passers by to lift him to cross the hedge to go towards the water fountain. But none responded to his request. Who would respond to a stranger's call for help any way! His father rescued him from his failed attempt to cross over.
What was revealing in this drama was this child's decision to ask for help to cross over to the other side. It did not matter to him, that all those whom he was seeking for help were strangers.
This reveals the absolute trust in people which was resident in this child. It is the adults and parents who change the mind of children from trusting, when we say to them, 'do not trust strangers'.
I must confess that our environment is not fully trustworthy with all the abuses, adults inflict on children.
A child is willing to trust, but adults are not trustworthy.
It is unfortunate that every child grows up not being able to fully trust his or her parents or adults at home, as we are told by the recent press reports, that maximum number of sexual abuse of girls take place at home.
If home is not a place where a child can repose his or her trust, we are letting down our children badly. Our homes need to be a place where we relate to others, pets, environment, and neighbours kindly building a character of trust and respect.
We may be advancing in our material prosperity, but we are becoming morally depraved as a society.
Adults, wake up. Let us become worthy of trust !
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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