This Diwali I had done a lot of hard work. Rangolis was a task I cut off from my mother’s to-do list. I helped my dad to put lights in our balcony. The sundry work related to puja decoration was done by me. My dad was impressed and wanted to give me a gift. I suggested what immediately came to my mind. I asked for a blue dress for me and a recent movie in the theater. That was promptly responded as usual.
So, the next afternoon we planned to go to a mall. Daddy got me a dress of my liking and we also watched a movie. But the very next day, I saw a trailer of yet another movie and wanted to see that too. Then for the upcoming next festival, I longed for a traditional dress different than the blue dress which I had just bought. I realized that the desire to buy things that can be bought by money would never end, nor would our craving for them. I would not remember the movie all my life and one day I will grow taller than my dress.
While discussing it with my mom, I developed an insight. When some dear one grants a gift then one should ask for something that would remain with you for a long time. Something which is priceless rather than stuff like dresses and movies.
Being a fifth grader, I have just started use of pens. My dad loves buying stationeries for me so I could have asked for loads of pens too. But these things can't be cherished for a long-term. On the other hand, I can learn some useful things by spending time listening to elder's experiences and stories. Even learning some skills from the dear ones would be more meaningful.
Whenever I write a nice blog, my nana nani give me money, which I have been accepting happily. But eventually, that money goes to momma’s pocket only! My nana has been an administrator. He is a man with great experiences and talents. I decided that now onwards I will discuss with him about his experiences of administration and current politics.
On many occasions, my dadu dadi too give me money. Most grandparents just give money because they are not certain as to what kind of things we will like to have as a gift. But not any more of money in gifts! For example from my dadi I will like to learn to make Sindhi Curry. My dadi makes incomparably best Sindhi traditional food. I would like to learn such dishes from them one by one. Her hands work like magic in the kitchen!
This learning will now always be in my mind. I understood that we should not waste our precious opportunity of learning things. I will now always think of having a meaningful ACTUAL REWARD.
What about you?
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Last night, mom told me that Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away. I knew about him. He was a famous political leader. A few hours later she got an SMS from my school that it will be a holiday the next day to mourn his demise. I was shocked to hear this and kept on wondering the whole night if it really would be a holiday or my parents were just joking. I had completed my homework and was all prepared for the next day. I had full excitement to take my new bottle to school. And suddenly it was declared no school?
It was an unexpected holiday with no plan or purpose. It was frustrating, and I sulked in a bad mood. Atal Bihari Ji Vajpayee must have wanted India to progress and everyone to succeed, not that everyone stops working when he is gone! It shouldn’t be a holiday. I couldn’t sleep that night.
Next morning the newspaper was full of information about Atal Bihari Ji Vajpayee. As I was reading it, it became more interesting. I came to know so many things about him.
· He was the first non-Congress (from BJP) President who completed full five years
· Pokhran nuclear tests were under his initiative and guidance. Which was indeed a courageous act.
· He was honoured with Padma Vibhushan and Bharat Ratna which is highest civilian award of the country.
· He was a known foodie who liked laddos and gol-gappa alike. He had a robust sense of humor which even his opponent cherished.
· He had no enemies, only friends. L.K.Advani yet another BJP leader who was his best friend.
· Unimaginably popular orator, emotional poet, and a writer. He wrote books like Vichar Bindu and Amar Aag Hai.
· He gave a tribute to the nation by building many long highways.
· He was a great synthesizer player.
· Some of his beautiful quotes will always be remembered-
“You can change friends but not neighbors.”
But sorrowfully, he died last night. I now felt bad. Vasundra Raje is the CM of Rajasthan, she too is from the BJP. She must have felt bad. People like Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi from other parties too paid him a tribute. He had no haters.
The nation lost a true leader. I felt a gem was plucked out of the necklace, but then it is always going to be in the purse!
I gained so much knowledge about him through newspaper and internet. If there was no holiday, I couldn’t have probably known so much about him. The unexpected holiday became an opportunity to discover so much about a great personality of our country.
Although, I still feel that we should be called to the school at least for an hour, and talks and discussions should be made about the personality. That would have been fitting tribute to him. But certainly, I found a great way of utilizing my unexpected holiday. Everything was absolutely amazing. My day had become interesting, informative and useful.
How about you?
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Last month I saw an amazing movie, 102 Not Out. This movie was about an old son and his older father living together. Father is Dutta (played by Amitabh Bachchan) and his son is Babu (played by Rishi Kapoor). Dutta is very lively person whereas Babu is scared of old age life. Dutta wants Babu to live a better life, so he acts as if he is sending him to old age home. Babu would do whatever Dutta says to stay back as he likes his home very much.
This movie was very insightful. I learned many things. The first one was that we should live life lively and not die before we die. Living lively means living in an active mode and being happy with what we have. It means not being dull in gloom or being scared all the time. My great-grandmother is 88 years old and suffers some physical issues of walking. But still, she enjoys a lot with children by playing games with them. She would tell stories and crack jokes, tease children and enjoy with them. My nana nani also enjoy and cherish everything. Recently, we went to an adventure park with them. I was pleasantly surprised to see their enthusiasm to go for zip line without any fear. I think that is living lively. Young children enjoy life fully. However, as they grow up the pressure of studies and competitions make them way too serious. I recommend grownup children to have a balance of both. Even in the exam, they must chill a bit.
Nani on Zipline
Another important message from the movie was that we should take care of our parents and grandparents. We should care by not only providing support and necessities but also giving them company. It will make them happy and satisfied. In this movie, Babu’s son went to the USA and never came back. He only wrote emails and letters with excuses and did not care much for his father or grandfather’s phone calls. That was rude. It was shocking to know that some people have no respect and love for their parents. They leave them without bothering how and where they are living. How painful it is! Many parents spend a lot of money on their children education and as those children get settled, they do not care for their parents’ needs. My favorite dialogue was, “औलाद अगर नालायक निकले तो सिर्फ उसका बचपन याद रखना चाहिए”. It was very touching, strong and powerful statement. If the child has turned up to be rotten, one should only remember good memories of his childhood and live life without any stress.
I also came to know about a disease called Alzheimer. It sounds very deadly. It happens to people in the old age where patient gradually forgets everything even the close relationships. It would be terrible to have this disease. It would be very difficult to manage a life without memories. My mom told that quality of life of people suffering from such disease can be improved if close family members and friends are around and support them. As a grand and great-grandchild, I feel very fortunate to have both my grandparents and my great-grandmother in the same town I live, whom I can visit frequently.
It is a powerful movie with many serious messages conveyed in a comic manner.
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