The place looked so tired and drab. Everything was covered in fine dust. Even the stray dogs look weary. However did I survive being in this place for the last few months? When it isn’t this dry and dusty, it’s flooded and muddy. I couldn’t say anything nice about the place, except for the people. The neighborhood maybe poor, but the people are good-natured, helpful and hospitable. From my adult perspective, there wasn’t that much to recommend the place if you were thinking of settling in, long-term. I need a change, and I need it fast. It makes me feel so dejected just looking at my surroundings. This is one of those days that I get so inundated by so many negative thoughts that I thought it’s time once again to look at things through the eyes of a child.
I saw this group of scruffy kids playing outside, so I sauntered to where they were happily playing with some cheap, plastic toys on the ground. They look excited and it appears that they are playing some kind of a make=believe game.
“Hey, Maisie,” I called out to one of the girls. “What’s up?”
“We are playing house, Ate. I get to be the mommy.” She happily piped up.
“Why does that make you happy?” I asked. ”It’s hard being a mommy.”
“Ate????” she put her hands on her hips, her rounded eyes staring at me as if to say I was being a dimwit. “Being a mommy means I get to make everyone do my bidding. It’s like being a queen. I tell the others to do something and they jump to obey”
“Oh, I see.” This sounds interesting. Maybe I am a dimwit. Why can’t I make my daughter jump and obey me? The normal response I get from her is “Right, mom, just give me ten minutes and I’ll get to it.”
Maybe if I quiz this little one, I can get some hot tips to make my life easier. “Honey, however do you manage to get them to obey you instantly?”
“Well, Ate, if they don’t, I beat them with my stick”, she grinned at me.
Ooppss! No help there, I grinned back at the little imp and wagged a finger at her. “Be careful, or your children will call Bantay Bata 163. And who do you get to be, Melai?” I asked one of the younger kids.
“I am Bunso.” she nodded wisely. “That means I get to use the bed.”
“Oh…, and where’s the bed?” I asked.
She started laughing so hard. “Ate, you are stepping on it.”
Indeed I was. The “bed” is a piece of brown cardboard that has the logo of a popular brand of soap or something. “But that’s such a small bed,” I said.
“That’s because I’m small, Ate, so I need only a small bed.” Good point. I must remember that realistic answer when I am wanting more than what I need. Children always hit the bull’s eye.
“Don’t you have a daddy?” I asked. “You are all girls, so there’s no one to play daddy.”
“Of course we have a daddy, he is an OCW.” one of the other kids bragged. “He is supposed to be in Dubai.”
“Great. So, are you going to build a larger house when he comes home? Your house is too small, and look-,” I pointed at the small wooden stool that they use for a table, “your table is too low. You need a higher table so you can use chairs. It’s awful to be sitting on hard ground all the time.”
Everyone giggled at that. “Oh, come on. Stop laughing. What if it rains? The muddy water will wet your bottoms!” I pretended to look horrified. ”Now, that will be really bad. And the bed will probably float all the way down to the river.” I exaggerated.
‘Then we will just stop playing house and play tag in the rain, Ate.” Maisie came up with an answer, a dimple appearing on her brown, rounded cheeks.
“Good idea.” I laughed. “Well, okay, I won’t disturb you anymore. Get on with your game now, and no quarrelling, mind.” I took a quick shot of the playing kids with my digicam, and then left them in peace to enjoy that little world they have created.
I sat nearby to watch them, my despondency eased somewhat by these little children who have such a clear cut view of life. Their simulation of real life has good entertainment value and the jabs of wisdom here and there are truly a great revelation. Children are so pure and beautiful. They take everything at face value, are never afraid to say what they think and very philosophical about facing difficulties. I think this is what makes it easy for them to enjoy life in spite of the present hardships.
I do wish I were more child-like in my approach to life. A lot of times, I get bogged down by day-to-day problems, losing myself in the intricacies of solving them that I miss some really great things that I should have enjoyed, if only I hadn’t taken the long way around. There are problems that are truly very simple if only I can look at them logically and calmly. Sometimes, solutions stare at me in the face but I don’t take notice because I have given the problem too much power over me and has therefore convinced myself that only super-complicated solutions will do it. And there are some things in my life that are impossible to change so I might as well borrow a page from Maisie’s book and accept them rationally.
Looking through the eyes of a child helps. I must remember that I mustn’t yearn for a double bed because I’m single, and I should be happy because if I can’t play house, I can always play tag.
Vocabulary:
Ate – a respectful term for older sister
Bantay Bata 163 – hotline for the center that monitors child abuse
Bunso - youngest child
OCW - Overseas Contract Worker
