By Sparkian Roopa Rani Bussa
Contributory Author for Spark Igniting Minds
Adarsh is an IT professional in one of the famous companies. He, his wife Mala and son Vidhit, three of them made one cute nuclear family. They all lived happily. Vidhit was in grade 2. Mala is working for another organization in an administration department. Vidhit was going to a decent private school. They have a maid. Her name is Anita. Anita has a son of vidhit’s age. Once in a while she brings him to vidhit’s home when she comes for her work.
Daddy… daddy! Called Vidhit
Yes son! What is it asked father while working on his laptop. Vidhit came to his father and asked for a remote control car similar to his friend Ashwin is having. Adarsh said dear son! You already have two remote control toys, one is a jeep and another is a sports car. What will you do with another one? The jeep is a new one which was bought recently for your birthday. You hardly play with it. First you play with the ones you have, later I will buy you a new one. Upset vidhit went to complain about this to his mom. Mala also replied the same as dad. His room is filled with varieties of toys and he threw all his toys out of anger. He slept after lots of crying.
Next day he went to school as usual. After coming back his mom insisted him to do homework. Vidhit said he didn't have a pencil to write. Mala asked vidhit, “I gave two new pencils yesterday. What did you do with them?” He said he wanted to see what was inside the pencil so he crushed the pencil with a big rock in school when he had a short break. Adarsh and mala looked at each other. And later Adarsh asked where the other pencil is? He coolly said he threw it in the sand because another boy who is his enemy had the same pencil and he didn't want to use the same one. Vidhit’s words caused worry to his parents. Mala gave new pencil and asked him to do homework.
Everyday Anita arranges vidhit’s room but again by the next day toys get scattered here and there. He doesn’t want to play with his old toys, so he keeps taking out toys from his box one after the other, and then not satisfied with them, he watches television.
One day Anita brings his son to Vidhit's house. That boy decently sat in one place and started doing his homework while his mother was working. Mala told him to play with vidhit or he can take any of his toys to play. The boy replied, ``No aunty, I have to finish my homework before it gets dark, we sleep early because my parents will be tired and our house is small.” I cannot switch light on when they are sleeping. Mala and Adarsh wondered after listening to the 2nd grade boy’s words. Both Mala and Adarsh had the same thought going in their minds but didn’t express it with each other. Subconsciously they compared their son with that boy.
Adarsh likes to sit on the patio. He enjoys looking at the sky, nature. Though the visibility of nature is quite less, he still loves to get good air and watch birds. He also fixed the bird feeder out there. One day while he was sitting on the patio he looked at the feeder which was hanging on the patio grill. He noticed that the feeder was full with the grains and the sparrows pushed all the grain down, eating very few of them. The other day when he was looking the grains were less in the feeder he thought he should fill the grains in it. But he paused, stayed there and observed. Birds came and without spilling a single grain they ate and flew. That whole thing made him think over the behaviour of his son.
Adarsh appreciated Anita for the good behaviour of her son. Anita felt happy about it and said I don’t teach him anything Sir. We are always outside for work. He comes back from school; he eats and does his homework on his own.
That night when he was sleeping he related the birds, when the bird feeder was full and when it had less grains. He thought even those tiny birds can eat neatly and save the food when there was less of it. It applies the same to children. Vidhit has too many toys and other things more than what he needs. If we somehow reduce that surplus, definitely he would change his attitude.
The next day, Vidhit… vidhit… Adarsh called.
Vidhit came running. Aadarsh said lovingly, dear son sit here. You have so many toys and you are growing up. We are running out of space by storing all the toys you have, Am I right? He asked. Vidhit thought for some time and nodded his head. Then can we go to Humble Charity Home on Sunday and give away the toys which you are not using and outgrown, Adarsh asked vidhit. Initially Vidhit didn’t agree to give them away but later Adarsh convinced him saying they are taking a lot of place in your Room. Adarsh also told Mala to give those extra pencil boxes from the cupboard. Mala brought them all and placed them near the toy bags.
Sunday morning with the toy bags and pencil boxes Adarsh, Mala and Vidhit went to Humble Charity Home. “Vidhit wants to give his toys and pencils to children here, please kindly give him permission and call the children”, Adarsh requested the manager. The manager told the caretaker to bring the children of vidhit’s age. When she went to bring the children, the manager appreciated vidhit for his generosity. Vidhit felt good about that appreciation. At the same time he also explained that all the children who are there in Humble Charity Home don’t have parents. They get these toys only when someone like you donates them. Vidhit just nodded his head. Children from inside came forming a line. Adarsh told Vidhit to give one toy and a pencil to each child. He gave out all the toys only the last one child didn’t get the toy. The boy was sad that he only got a pencil but didn’t say anything. Vidhit asked “What is your name?” That boy replied Ved. Vidhit nodded. Vidhit whispered something in Adarsh’s ears and Adarsh out of happiness told the manager that they will be back in sometime. Manager agreed.
After sometime Adarsh and Vidhit came with Vidhit's favourite toy which he kept for himself. Vidhit himself asked the manager to call Ved. Ved came and Vidhit gave his favourite toy to him. Ved thanked Vidhit and said he is very happy to receive the toy.
Now Vidhit happily plays with his only two toys. He doesn’t throw his pencils anymore. Adarsh and Mala also learnt the lesson that they shouldn’t buy anything in surplus otherwise children will not understand the value of what they have. From that year onwards Aadarsh and Mala decided to take Vidhit to such places where their child can develop the qualities of kindness and compassion and grow as a human being of giving nature.
About the Author
Roopa Rani Bussa is a homemaker living in Kansas and is a nature lover, the beholder of positive power, a believer of social services, a Passionate teacher, and a well organized passionate writer.
The journey of writing began a few years ago and she considers it an honor to carry forward the legacy of her father. She writes quotes and poetry in Telugu, Kannada, Hindi Sanskrit, English, and Urdu.
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