THE RAT TRAP

                                     

When there is a lot of invasion and ransacking by the rats, we decide that it is high time we set a trap, especially if the loss is very high, no time is wasted in trapping the rat. There is much joy in trapping it when we experience pain in the kind of damage it creates. The aroma of the burnt coconut is so inviting that the rat just runs in to eat it, and the door closes. We take it far away, to a no man’s land, and release it. This is true of our life too, when we live on our instincts, and don’t use our intelligence. When we are guided by pain and pleasure, we tend to fall into a trap of wrong company and thus, wrong habits.

 

The child does not perform well in academics and so, the parents keep scolding the child, as they are anxious about the child’s future. Listening to this every day, the child develops a dented self- image and instead of aiming to score more marks, the child joins a circle of friends who are in a similar predicament. They warmly receive him into their circle, as birds of the same feather flock together. They encourage each other for all the wrong reasons. The child is also happy in their company as they make him feel good. He doesn’t feel the need to prove himself.

 

The more and more he yields to their call, without his knowledge, he begins to lose himself. His trouble begins only once he is trapped. He is now part of a group that encourages him to smoke, to try a peg of alcohol, to take drugs, appreciates him for copying in the exam, for troubling the teacher in class, for sneaking a mobile into the school, to back answer the parent, to cheat them, and many such unacceptable behavior. It becomes a vicious cycle. He gets sucked into it.

 

The wrong company of friends is a trap in life. The sad part is, once we get into that trap, we don’t realize our folly, rather we enjoy their company. We feel good, as there is someone to appreciate everything that we do. Slowly we begin to fall in life. Just take a moment and reflect on your life. Do a self-audit. Is the curve going up or are we going down? Can you share with your parents everything that you do with these friends? Can they be introduced to your parents? If the answer is a big NO, then it is time to withdraw from the wrong company. Your achievements are more important than how you feel. These friends will disappear from your life. All that you will be left with will be, bad memories and experiences. Wake up and understand that if there is deterioration in the quality of your life, if you are not seeing any progress, it is time to come out of the wrong company that you have been keeping. Unlike the rat that cannot wriggle out of the trap, we still can, if we decide to do so. Beware and be aware of the TRAP!

#Thoughtfulthursdays #nsn #nsnschool #mentoring #parenting