Great Learning Lessons from Babies; Thank You Samil

• #TheWriteChoice challenge: Day-5

Sastang dandavat at your lotus feet oh Swamiji!

Let us continue from the previous part about the learnings babies teach us!

6. Their Smile and Laugh Does Not Have Diplomacy and Reservation 

If you’ve ever seen a baby smile or heard that sweet baby laugh, you know that it’s like the sun coming out from behind the clouds on a rainy day. It is soul warming, heart expanding, and tangible proof that the baby is feeling happy. And you want to see and hear it again and again. Which is why we do all those silly things and make goofy faces for hours in front of them to have a glimpse of that pure pleasure and smile.

We adults have a lot of reservations in smiling or laughing in the fearful societal circumstances. We have our own diplomacy and politics of smile. Where to smile? When to smile? How much to smile? We calculate a lot. Can you recall when you had a hearty laugh last time without any reservations? That is why we fall short of expressing ourselves many a times. As we are unable to express ourselves properly, we are misunderstood, taken for granted and all sorts of problems stem from them. It is needless to emphasize how helpful it is to express our emotions to release stress and what to say about smiling / laughing! It helps us manage stress, builds the immune system, makes us appear more likable and trustworthy, and assists us in seeing the bigger picture. In essence, the acts of smiling and laughing, both positive behaviors, can have an equally positive impact on our daily lives. So go ahead and let a good belly laugh loose.

Oh come on, have a look at smiling Samil below and feel free to imitate.

7. They Don’t Rush Things Or Skip Milestones In Their Growing Up Journey: 

Babies do respect time and do not hurry up. When it’s time to roll over, they do. When it’s time to sit up, they sit up. When it’s time to crawl, they start crawling. Babies don’t skip over the milestones along the path, nor do they achieve them in a hurry with any stunt. Sure they may get frustrated when their current level of mobility keeps their goal just out of reach. However, none of them has figured out yet, how to magically skip a stage to get to the next, so they continue on, persistent in their practice, absorbed in the journey.

Then why do we adults try for instant success and glory? Every success has a hard work as its predecessor. ‘Rome is not built in a day’.  Instead of hankering after instant success, let us persevere and tick each milestones in the process of the journey. Babies don’t waste time trying to find short cuts or use tricks to get to the desired end. To reach the ultimate goal / destination, they break things down into many, sometimes mini, goals along the way, enabling them to enjoy the journey, and not pine for the destination. Why can’t we keep things simple and go about in a slow and steady manner without hoping for an overnight miracle? Please understand that first the base is constructed, then the pillars, then the slabs and finally the roof and not in the reverse way.

8. These Little Ones Make a Mess and Move On. 

Gotta go, gotta go, right? Babies do just that. Without hesitation, without fear, without embarrassment, without wondering if the time is right, and not worrying about who is around they just pee or poo. It’s simply a part of life. They poop, pee which stinks, they get into dirty situation. They cry, we change the diaper and every thing settles well. It’s as simple as that, really. If only we adults could be take some cue without worrying much, we’d get so much more done. There will be many times in our lives when we make mistakes, choose the wrong strategy, or just totally miss the mark. How we handle these challenges determines how long these misfires will stink.

Making mistakes is a part of learning, be fearless to attempt new things and make mistakes on the way. But to cover up the mistake, doing a million more is not the way to achieve anything. Truth does not require any dressing, it is the lie which needs a lot of make ups to be presented. But one day it comes out and stinks even more as it gets older. Will we get stuck or will we move on? Do we keep working on it because we’ve already invested a lot of time and effort, or can we be confident in the face of a temporary defeat and try a different path? Do we engage in negative self-talk which is sure to sabotage future efforts, or do we recognize it as a learning experience which will bring us closer to success? The truth is, stink (mistakes) do happen. When it does, we should clean up and move on learning the lessons it teaches us.

Now what? Do you want me to post a pic of the pooped diaper of Samil to drive home the point? 😉

9. Babies Immediately Let You Know If They Have Some Need or Help Is Required: 

Wet diaper? There’s a cry for that. Empty tummy? There’s a cry for that too. Upset tummy? Tired? Need Burping? There’s a…well you get the picture. When babies want or need something, they let you know. It may sound like “just” a cry to others, but as mom and dad, we quickly decode the cryptic cry and respond accordingly. Here’s the thing. They let you know immediately. Fortunately or unfortunately, they don’t wait until they are sure that the time and situation are convenient to disclose the requirement. They don’t wonder if it’s okay to let us know. They just do it. Samil immediately lifts his hands if he wants a stroll outside or just wants to be cuddled to feel secure.

The lesson: You have to let others know what you want or if you need help. Just keeping mum is not gonna help, mate! We are not like Swamiji who can autocorrect the course of life or does not require any human guru to show him the path. We need to take the initiative, cry out for help. I would recommend to go through Anant Meera’s blog in this regard for ‘asking for help’. There is absolutely nothing wrong in it. I do agree that silent contemplation gives us a lot of insight, but there is absolutely no harm in taking advice from someone who has already travelled the path. Why do you want to re-invent the wheel? Did I hear ‘due to my ego’? Even when it is scary and feels embarrassing, take action because the only way to achieve results is to disclose the truth, seek help and move forward.

(In a different context: Though we know silence can be quite revealing, Meera Om ji, your silence is unbearable and killing us. You are the heart and soul of os.me blogger community. We would all be very happy if you restart your blogs on this platform. I miss your Inglis (English) so much. Please do make an early come back if not for yourself, at least for us!)

10. Babies are Happy with Simple Pleasures And Little Things: 

Ah, the life of a baby. Feed me, burp me, change me, hug me, play with me, love me and protect me and I’m happy. I don’t need the fancy diapers. While I’m tiny, I don’t need a big flavor variety. Your breast milk – or formula – will do. I don’t need an assortment of the fluffiest blankets in every color to be wrapped in. Your arms are just perfect. I don’t need an envious collection of the latest electronic learning gadgets. The sound of your loving voice talking to me, playing with me and showing me things is enough for  me learn. 

Moral of the story: Simple and little things can make us happy. Don’t let the opportunity to be happy, slip out of your hand when you forgot to celebrate your son’s hoverboard mastering skills in the stress of a pending promotion interview result at work. Like Prahalad ji said in his blog ‘don’t take things for granted. Shayad kal ho na ho!’. Actually, what is the definition of a big success? Human beings are programmed to achieve more and more. If they achieve one milestone, they start hankering after another. Let me just crack this deal, I will be happy, or if I can have a duplex house at the early stage of my career, I will be happy. But, on the way we are sacrificing all the little things like the first summer rain, the first winter fog, the first steps of your baby (as you are busy attending a call / conference meeting). You have to break this jinx, be more contained. Let me tell you a secrete: “Having more means more distractions greater opportunity for discontent.”

Hah! Finally I could finish it! I could successfully complete the #TheWriteChoice challenge, the first challenge to be taken up by me in the os.me platform and completed it also. Is it not an occasion to celebrate? Definitely it is. And I would like to invite all the members (co-travelers) who have successfully completed the challenge without worrying for the list of winners to be declared on 4th May. We all can pat our backs for the beautiful journey. ‘Destination’ as they say is just a ‘perception’ my friend!

Thank you Medha ji for this awesome opportunity. We got to read a large no. of awesome articles. Thank you all and Jai Shri Hari…