What happened to story time?

It was today that I realized the inner me is not to become a business magnet or a tycoon in this world. It is the most pleasant, most need and the most lacked role in today’s world.  I have realized I have it- to be the old granny sitting under the peepal tree, every evening with her hukka pipe and singing that typical prelude to call bunch of kids- who wants to taken into the world of fantasies by my stories. Stories that speak of Earth- moving, Sun screaming, Moon loving, Wind gushing, water pouring and trees speaking- basically every scientific thinking reacting unscientifically. I’ve realized my story telling is what brings happiness and satisfaction in me.  I tried this yet again today and I’ve reflected on few thoughts.

Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps!!!! This world is not what it used to be… all my dreams are in clouds, kids want to watch simulation videos and play on computers. Grown- ups have no stories to share. Grannies at homes like me- are bored to death. Radios are only tuned as a medium to know the latest sale in the city, launch of a new brand or jokes that are pathetic. I wish I had the magic wand to throw a spell on kids or be the bag piper for kids, to summon them under a large peepal tree- just one in the city and narrate a story/day- till they say, granny- cant me ask gabbar singh to change? Cant me tell the sun to please not get angry or can I go to moon and borrow some cotton candies?

I’m not writing this to ask you to send your kids to me; I’m writing this so that you know what you have to make of your kids tomorrow, what they can be and how to make them be what they can. Why are we not taking anymore about akbar-birbal at our homes, in our halls, with a candle light right in the middle of the hall? Why are we not being the parent that our parents were once to us? Why should be blame the worlds for being what it is today? Can we not switch off all the lights, light a candle and talk stories, sing rhymes, folk songs etc for our kids? Can’t we waste 1 candle and spend good 1 hour with them? Cant we take an hour per week out from our very hectic schedule for our kids- not to kill time ofcourse but to educate them on various other aspects of life- than just computers, keyboards, mobile games etc? Cant we teach them about our country, our culture, our morals, our values and our ethnicity?

Its not complain- it’s a concern! Its not just kids- its you! I see parents wondering how their kids are brilliant at a young age- this is because they see their kids correcting their ENGLISH communication, giving ideas to shop at an innocent age, talking about which hero is his favorite and which heroine wears what color nail-paint in which movie. Its not the kids fault, its your fault. Your fantasies are acting weirdly on their young brains. What you do, they follow. How you behave, they behave similarly. They are just over-doing what you are doing in your life. They don’t know what is right and what is wrong; all they know is mom is watching TV soap, so I shall watch mine. Dad doesn’t listen to mom, so why should I? They fight- I fight.

Its time, you take time to make your kids something better for tomorrow.  If you cant, ask your parents to do, when they did it to you, they can do it to your kids too. When they’ve made a worthy citizen of you, they can make them too. Everything has a role to play in life and everyone has one. As parents you have chose a very important role. Tell them stories to see them react- at every instance of your narration, they get angry, they get sad. They fill their eyes, they jump with joy. They hug you when scared; they smile at you with love. Morning they’ll come back to you, mama- what happened to the eggs that the bird left- and went in search of food?  

Now you know what to say :)