Simple is the path to the sublime

As a morning marks the day, childhood creates a glimpse of the life to come. Today, in my ripe old age, I look back at my childhood days and I feel amused. Devoid of modern facilities, then life was simple, joyful and stress free. We did not have fancy toys, smart phones or even television. We were happy to be drenched by the monsoon rains, enjoyed swinging atop a tree branch, or occasionally a walk down to a nearby village with our teachers to enjoy a picnic day. A walk on the moist green grass strewn with morning dew was so thrilling it is still a vivid memory. We had our classes in the shade of big trees except sfor cience classes, which needed equipment and classromms. Life was full of trust, love and sharing. I remember once as a young child, I was thrilled to discover a huge bottle gourd growing in our garden. As there was nobody around to share this amazing discover, I ran out of the compound of the house to find an old man was passing by - he became the unsuspecting candidate for sharing my exuberant discovery. I ran out to him, and dragged him by the arm into our garden to share my joyous discovery - "dadu (grandpa), come and see how beautiful this bottle gourd is, hanging from this creeper in our garden." Being a very kind man, he played the part of a willing and amazed audience quite well, much to my delight. With changing times our lifestyle has changed completely. Telephones, computers, televisions and ipads have taken over our life. Life lived within the closed in walls of apartment homes, and the constant drum beat of competitive exams for kids have made children's life more stressful. Even having fun has become work. Moreover, after the isolation of two years with covid, we all have become uncommunicative and our social senses have been somewhat dulled. We have almost lost the ease of friendly chatter, or a hearty laugh. The time has come to bring a meaningful changes in our lives - the essentials of a life well lives are simple. In forgetting ourselves we find ourselves. In serving all around us we create value in our own lives. And that is possible only by shifting our conciousness and surrendering to a greater cause than our own entrapment - one defined by constant distraction. It isn't entertainment that we must seek but stability and centeredness as a prerequisite to joyfulness. The simple act of breathing consciousless can bring us to our better selves. One that finds joy in just being. Children are unique in their power to create their own reality - much like the morning defines the day, the consciousness of a child if nurtured well will define a life well lived. We must remember the inspiring message of The Gita, which says, "meditation can bring correction and improvement to our inner personality, making the mind peaceful, poised and vibrant." No simpler nor truer words have been said.