Child in you is immortal.

'If you carry your childhood with you, you never become older.'
                                       -Tom Stoppard

The quote above beautifully, exactly and absolutely explains my feelings right now about discovering the childishness in me. That child that always dwelled within me, refused to leave you in my growing years, that child who impishly laughed at my own self, that child who got scared when the light went off suddenly, that child who licked the milky trail of a melted ice cream making its way towards my elbow and more such instances when I am in téte-a-téte with that invincible child in me.

Every time I read a book to my daughter I meet this little child in me. As the story progresses we laugh, we feel sad, we feel hopeful and finally we are happy when little red riding hood is out of the fox's tummy or when Eeyore has a beautiful cosy house to live made by Pooh and Piglet or when 'Aalshi' the honey bee is set free after being trapped in a bottle of honey. With my daughter, I start this journey and relive my moments. Rather my moments are those that we spend together.

I have metamorphosed to a better mother, daughter, wife and lastly a human. This When the ugly 'different' duckling is lonely the smile on her face vanishes. I learn that ugly is being different and with being so comes loneliness but one day the different becomes as beautiful as a Swan and you are not lonely anymore. I learn to be brave just like those three little pigs who came together and kill the wicked wolf. I learn to be a child like Pooh who invents a silly game like 'Poohsticks' and suddenly being silly is the coolest thing ever. At times I am Bubby the sheep who innocently gives away her wool to the needy without expecting it back, I learn the art of giving. My belief in dreams strengthens with Alice who compels me to think about my Dreamland.

Oh! What a magnificent journey these little books take you on! Bedtime story time is our favourite time of the day. After being a mother I realise, my me time definition has changed. My time is our time. A time when I meet my childish version of myself....carefree, relaxed and forever young...when I bond with my little one being a little myself 🙂.

The 'different' Duckling

I am really getting good at reading stories to my little one. It is a daily bed time ritual. Though reading is a daunting task after having had a busy day but it is worth when I see her beaming. 

This blog is one such incident that happened on one fine day while I was walking with my little one along a beautiful pond side. The geese and few ducks were loitering around aimlessly. A pond is not worth watching without ducks and geese and turtles. My little one loved chasing them and they 'quacked' running helter-skelter. 

I am amazed at how these little kids are meticulous observers. For me it was flock of geese and ducks, some were white and some were not. My little one yelled with excitement, "Look Aai, that black duck! It is an ugly duckling."

I immediately answered, "No Aadhya, it is not ugly but it is different."

"Why is it different?"

"Well we all are humans but we have different hair colour, eye colour and skin colour. We are different."

"Okay Aai."

"Neither black is ugly nor white is beautiful. They are just colours."

She must not have understood this but I made a point that she does know that that duck was 'different'. 

My lessons of rational thinking commenced post motherhood. I measure and weigh before speaking to her or in front of her. I am choosy about what I read to her. 

Responsibility is the crux of motherhood or parenthood (in general). What you feed to these young brains goes a long way. As a child I empathised with the ugly duckling. I loathed how the poor little duckling was teased and harassed and bullied. But I loved when it metamorphosed into a gorgeous Swan. 

image - Google

As I grew up I deciphered plenty of hidden morals in that story. Importantly it was about believing in one self. Never feel dejected. Always believe that we all are different and unique. Do not forget to respect 'different-ness' in you and others.

This different-ness could be a blessing in disguise. It could be your strongest asset.

We all were once branded 'different' in terms of looks, intelligence, ability, competence...etc etc but we all made it to where we are today. Congratulations to all of for living with this different-ness.

Oh Yes! We still read the story and go through those emotions of pity and happiness for the little duckling. But every time I read, I do tell her that it is not ugly but different. And that different duckling could swim faster than other ducklings. 

There is nothing shameful about being different. It is good to be different than usual and boring :)

Love 

Trupti