On Anna's birth day recently, both of us shared the happy occasion with a freshly baked cake at home. We shared the joyful occasion with our domestic helpers.
In the evening, we had a surprise visit of a family with their two children. They came to share the joy of their association with Anna at the work place. Seeing the children with their delightful temperament brought us a pleasant experience to cherish.
Two days later, we were invited to a home, where their two children delighted us with their conversation and play, ending up celebrating with a cake they had got ready to greet Anna.
I felt good that Anna received this special greetings from two families and their children made her immensely glad for their thoughtful acts of celebration.
I noticed that whenever children visit us, Anna feels animated and brings out boxes of toys for them to play and occupy themselves. The Children when they are young, feel spontaneous and bring surprises in the way they make their comments.
One of the children told, 'I am small and have many more birthdays to celebrate'! What a profound understanding of his life ahead! It sounded as if he saw his life through the optic of time and events. He sounded anchored in his family and environment in a relational way!
Such an awareness of being rooted with a historical view of life is an experience, some children grow up with from young childhood. They experience such a sense of attachment to their home and the daily history of their lives that they blend their past, present and future seamlessly.
On both the occasions with the the families, what amazed me was the enlargement their children carried about themselves and their environment. They played, interacted and engaged in conversation with a sense of curiosity and enquiry. Their comments or responses, pointed to the exercise of hours of conversations at home, where they were listened to and responded with understanding and affirmation.
The few hours we spent with both families gave us an insight about the parenting practices at their homes which influenced their children's social, relational and communicative orientation. When they talked, they looked and waited for a response. They were attentive and ready with another question which conveyed the depth of their perception and thought process.
The family who visited us encouraged the children to gather back the toys into the baskets and leave the place tidy before they left. What a sense of orderliness, they convey to their children!
A home is a place of formation for children.
A home is a place where parents create physical space and emotional links with their children. In both the instances of contacts with the two families, I noticed this style of enlightened parenting.
What do we leave behind as a pointer to children! I hope it is to lead them to live with a sense of belonging and belovedness!
While Anna and I are in our seventies, what a delight it is to see young parents in their thirties, making their children feel the traction of the joyful experiences of a home.
A house is built by hands and a home is created by heart responses!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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