THE POWER OF ONE

 

Several years back there was an incident, which was an eye-opener for a group of college students. Some of these students went on a strike at the college gate. A mathematics professor who happened to see them striking at the gate, called all the students inside.

He took them to the class and wrote number 1 on the board and asked one of them to tell what was the value of the number. Puzzled, the student got up and said, it is 1. He then added a 0 before the number and asked, “Now what is the value?” The students were puzzled. One of them got up and said, it is still 1. He added many more zeros and asked, “Now what is the value?” The students said it is still 1.

The professor then wrote 10 and asked them what is the value. The students said it is ten. He kept on adding zeros and the value went on to ten lakhs. He then asked the students why the value did not increase when he added the same zero before 1, and why it increased when it was added after 1. There was silence in the class. The professor said, whenever an insignificant number like zero precedes a significant number, the value will not increase, only when the zero follows a significant number, the value will increase.

That significant number is your teacher. Students are like the insignificant number. If they try to precede the teacher, they will not have any value. Only when they follow a teacher, they gain in value.

Children should know that, whether it is their teacher or parent, they should not try to outsmart them. Such children are called upstarts. They should learn to respect them. Whether parents are educated or not, they should not lose respect for them. Parents are wiser than them. They know what is good for their children. Respect in words and body language, towards parents will make all the difference to their life.

The same goes for teachers as well. Testing the teacher’s knowledge, nicknaming teachers, trying to dodge the teacher, disturbing the class, back answering the teacher, blaming the teacher, will all backfire one day.

Thinking that they are smart, they resort to such unwanted actions, not realizing that they will be outsmarted one day. The correction has to made at the thought level. Only then they will stand corrected in their actions.

There is a dire need to bring thought level corrections in children. There is a danger of losing out on our traditional values with the advent of the social media and the invasion of the western culture.

It is up to us to preserve our culture and tradition. Keeping this in mind, with the intention of building a culture of respect and gratitude in children, for their parents, the school conducts the “Mathru-Pithru vandanam.” Parents are invited to the school on this occasion, and children are asked to offer flowers at the feet of their parents and prostrate before them.

In fact, this tradition of touching the parents’ feet every day, before they set out from home, should be inculcated from childhood.

This helps to cement the bond between parents and children, and it imbibes values like humility, gratitude and surrender in children. Family ties can be maintained only when children have a bonding with their parents. They should acknowledge the selflessness of their parents, their generosity, patience and love. Respecting parents will aid in their personal growth as well.

Let us follow our traditional practices that foster positive qualities in children. Mathru-Pithru vandanam is one of the best ways to develop strong family ties, the importance of which is emphasized in the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Gita. Participating in it is our way of helping our children live a value-based life, It is our contribution towards building a strong nation where the citizens are products of great parenting. Pat yourself, if you are one!

#Thoughtfulthursdays #nsn #nsnschool #mentoring #parenting