A CHILD-LIKE Adult

Diwali has been my favourite festival for a few years now. I love the lights all around, along with the buzz it creates within family and friends. I eagerly look forward to the Diwali festival (and the subsequent holidays). The excitement was equally high this year too.

Around three days before Diwali, out of blue, my wife Arpita threw up this question during dinner – “Is baar apan killa banaye kya?” (Should we make a castle this time?) The instant thought that came was – We are not kids anymore. How can we do it now? But, within a few seconds another thought followed – we had a great time when we made it as a child, didn’t we? A few childhood memories flashed, as if it was happening that very moment! What a wonderful time we had! Coming back to the present, without wasting another minute, everyone at home immediately seconded the idea.

Within a couple of days, we were at it! With a few challenges on how to go about making a ‘killa’, we managed to create a structure out of stone and mud. It wasn’t the best looking as such, but it was ‘our killa’ after all. We did it all by ourselves. I felt nostalgic. What a complete feeling it was!

I thought that apart from making a killa, all of us must be having some things we loved doing when we were kids. So, immediately today morning, I WhatsApped a few friends and asked them – what were their fondest childhood memories. Here are a few interesting replies –

• Cycling away to glory with friends or siblings
• Buying vegetables with mother
• Playing with pets and making homes for them
• Reading books for ceaseless hours
• Imagining myself being a character and imitating them
• Making and flying kites
• Making paper boats and leaving them in water streams
• Getting wet in rains
• Doing various science experiments
• Watching movies with family
• Crazy stuff like mixing shampoo with shaving cream and seeing what happens
• Dream ----- ‘One day ….’
• Playing various outdoor games – cricket, football, lagori, marbles etc.
• Drawing and painting endlessly
• Being creative with Art ‘n’ Craft
• Playing carrom/ chess/ Life/ Scrabble/ etc.
• Having fun with dolls and kitchen sets
• Collecting cards/ stamps/ coins etc.
• Playing un-harmful pranks
• Making tracks for cars to jump and tunnels to go under
• Gazing at the stars, just like that

I am sure you would have done a few out of these. Those were great moments of our lives. As we grew up, such activities have taken a backseat. We have kept them stacked somewhere way behind in our memories with lots of layers covering them. Infact, a few friends who replied also sent me a ‘Thank You’ for reviving those memories.

Agreed that we grow and life moves on. But nowhere is it written or said that once we become so called adults, we can’t do things, which we used to do as kids. At this moment, read the list again. This time with a perspective of what all we can still do in spite of having become adults!

I will not be surprised if you tell me that most (if not all) things are do-able as an adult too. It’s just that we have got so pre-occupied in our daily lives that it doesn’t strike us to enjoy doing them too. If you are one of those very shy persons, take some kid along and do them! But it is an experience certainly not worth missing!

Vis-a-vis my life –

Even I had got caught in the loop of doing only ‘adult-like’ things. Until ‘Our Killa’ came, even I was living thinking that I am enjoying the life I am living. But realised as I was writing this blog, that I am actually missing out on so many joys of life.

The joy we experience in doing these is un-paralleled. The feeling is beyond words. Doing these things (rather even thinking) even today brings a smile on our face. I personally feel that it is such moments, which make our every day delightful. Yes, we cannot become a child again. But instead of being an adult, we can certainly be ‘A CHILD-LIKE ADULT!’

Love,

Amit Kothari
…… always upgrading!