Since the time I noticed these three bunches of flowers in our garden, I kept a weekly photographic collection.
Before it occurred to me to keep a weekly record, the buds might have been present for at least two months. I wish I had a record of those stages as well!
Since I started the weekly photography of these flowers it is now two months. I have copied the five stages that these flowers have gone through since then. The bunches grew in size slowly and steadily.
The last picture is that of yesterday, when the flowers in the central bunch have begin to open.
The five to six months that the buds have taken to become flowers captured my attention.
Most of these months were monsoon months with little of sunshine during the in between days. It did not have any protection from the strong winds on the few occasions. They were in the edge of the garden with very little protection of any shade of tall trees.
I feel amazed how these flowers are now ready to open.
As I spend most of my time with children and families, this story of the three bunches of flowers seem to become a symbol to me of child development.
Most children have too many odds to overcome as they grow up. Every event in the school, at home or neighbourhood or in society would have an influence on them favourably or adversely.
Most adults do not take time to watch them grow emotionally, although they might pay some attention to monitor their class room performance.
But they are more than cognitive machines; they are humans in formation. This calls for paying attention to their thinking skills, relational skills, behavioural skills, imaginative skills, problem solving skills, life skills, reading skills, reactive skills, etc.
It is this that we refer to in child development as nurturing process of children. By nature they have a genetic code which would influence their formation. But when we plan and design their formative setting, they would be larger than what they are genetically destined to become. Children are formed by family and school environment.
I met a child yesterday who is eight years. He won a district level prize for his drawing. His mother who herself is an artist wanted him to learn to draw. Fortunately he took a liking for it from three years. His mother allowed his pace and rhythm in learning the art. He has arrived where he is now because his mother encouraged and facilitated him to make a progress.
Let us turn away from watching children as merely students. They are children in formation to become adults. They are more than knowledge seekers. They are in pursuit of purpose in life and a reason for living. When we lead them to this journey, they become larger than our expectations.
Dr Abhijit who along with his wife Esther are the two of the three recipients of the Nobel price in Economics, have defined developmental economics for the world. His mother talking about his childhood referred to him as a 'keen observer and conversationalist'. She them became his companion to find him enough to read. He made poverty as his reading theme and during his life time he has proposed a model for responding to poverty at the micro-economics level, which has worked in laboratory conditions!
Keep a watch on children and become their companions in their formation. They would grow up to their full potential and we as adults would also grow up to appreciate the resident potential in them.
As adults and parents, let us pursue formation of children and not just our career!
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
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