A small story:
A mother went with her child to a public function.
Somehow, she lost track of the child and they got separated in the crowd.
The mother got very panicky and started searching all over for the child.
Suddenly she heard behind her a voice, “Maria! Maria!” and she turned around and saw her daughter.
She ran to her, hugged her and asked, “But why where you calling me Maria instead of Mom?”
The child replied, “That would have been of no use. There are so many Moms around here!”
Children are still centered in themselves and they are more alive and alert than us. Their innocence, their love, their body language speaks for them, not their words. Because of this, whatever they say or do does not seem disrespectful and they get away so easily! Once the mind steps in with the societal conditionings, this innocence disappears; then we have to make up with words and pretensions, because we have forgotten how to be innocent and total.
When love becomes a duty, it becomes a burden. And when it becomes a burden, you will not be celebrating; you will be under pressure. Parents teach children reasons to love. From a young age, love is taught with a reason.
Do we ever teach them to love the earth? Do we teach them to love nature? But we teach them to love our relatives. We teach them to love us. We teach them to love everyone who will be of some use to them in some way.
If you teach them to embrace nature, you are sowing the seed of real love in them. I have seen many parents: They will teach their kids to throw garbage in public places and destroy the beauty of nature. The same parents who teach the children to love the family will teach them to abuse nature. If you have real love in you, you will not abuse nature. And if you have real love in you, you will embrace nature and people alike.
You see, you have to sow the right seed. Only then the desired plant will grow. You should sow the right seed and create the right conditions for love to flower inside the child. This is where meditation helps. Meditation helps in sowing the seed, in creating the space inside for this growth to happen. Nothing can be imposed from outside. The moment it is imposed, it will be either met with resistance or it will be carried out as a duty, as a burden.
______________________
This excerpt has been taken from the book: Guaranteed Solutions.
to view a larger map and get directions
