大象传媒

A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Shaunaka Rishi Das

Good morning.

My wife Keshava and I never had children. We planned for children. It was a natural desire for me, as I had six Aunts, three uncles, and dozens of cousins.

One day we both came home with a book in hand. We bought books for our future brood, and laughed. We were happily nesting. But it wasn鈥檛 to be 鈥� it wasn鈥檛 in the stars.

Thus, it was that, from time to time, we found ourselves entertaining other people鈥檚 children. Getting to know how little minds work. Well, remembering our own childhood, and our own little minds. Remember those minds? Simple in their transparent desires, with little guile, and full of potential, it鈥檚 always a pleasure being with children. But we grow up, and add a few layers of self-awareness 鈥� ironically not our best look.

One day my four-year old nephew was being difficult鈥� because he could. He kept kicking off his shoes as I tried to tie them on, as Keshava laughed. But we had to get going, and I didn鈥檛 have time so eventually I found myself, in that age-old pose, with hands on hips, declaring, 鈥測ou鈥檙e just looking for attention鈥�, and Keshava laughed louder, saying, 鈥渁ren鈥檛 we all.鈥�

And it鈥檚 true, we are all looking for attention. We wear clothes that attract attention, and buy cars that gain praise, and welcome the honour of others. But like my nephew, who stopped his nonsense when I gave him a hug, we want a hug too. We want attention, to attract someone to love us.

We look to our Lord, who loves us, nonsense and all; who is more filled with kindness than we are full of ourselves, and can offer him our attention today 鈥� even for a minute 鈥� because we can.

Hare Krishna

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