Less is More

Hello,

Last weekend was for a short visit from children and grandchildren, and I missed my column, my apologies to the readers.

I wanted to write about Less is More.  Hmm, children and families visiting for less time, and that certainly did not feel like more. Then again, the story that follows is about collecting more things as we go through life when our aim is to collect less. 

Meera

                                                                      Less is More

Sapna and Sagar talked as they packed their books. Their eight-year-old sibling twins, Suchi and Soori walked in.

Soori frowned, "Bhaiya, why do we have to pack? We just finished our exams." 

Suchi, "Yeah, and why do we have get rid of the dolls and toys that we love?"

Sapna interrupted, "I don't think Bhaiya asked you to get rid of ALL your toys, just some."

Soori pouted, "I don't want to get rid of even one toy. They are my favourite."

Sagar laughed, "All toys are your favorite, I understand. I'll help you pack."

Suchi smiled, "Will you help me also, please?"

Sagar nodded and followed the twins to their room.

Twelve-year-old, Sapna raised her eyebrows, "I am confused. Bhaiya, I guess you know what you are doing. I am going to put my things in the boxes." She left.

Sagar said, "Okay, girls, let's do this quickly and then I can do mine. Soori, please get the biggest box here-that's for your toys."

Suchi said, "Shall I get mine?"

"Yep, both the boxes side by side. Now each of you pick up your most favorite toy and put it in the corner of the box."

Each twin brought a big doll and put it in the box. The dolls took more than one third the space in the box. They kept piling more toys and soon the boxes were full. The twins still had most of their toys in their closet.

The girls stood by their boxes, Soori said, "We don't have more space and we don't have another box."

Suchi pouted, "I don't want to leave the closet-toys behind."

Soori said, "How did we run out of box?"

"The doll, the doll is too big!"

"Let's carry the dolls in our backpacks."

"Yeah, let's."

The girls pulled out the toys, threw the dolls on their beds and repacked toys.

Sagar stood aside and played with his cell phone with one ear on girls' conversations.

"Bhaiya, we don't have room for the rest of the toys."

Sagar said, "You did fine with the dolls, take some toys out, and rearrange."

The twins stuffed some smaller toys in the backpack and put more toys in the boxes. By lunch time they collapsed on their beds.

Sagar asked, "Suchi-Soori, what about the leftover toys?"

"We need another box."

"Mom said only one big box for toys. Even if we stuff smaller toys in our clothes box, we have too many toys."

Sagar clapped, "You got it kiddo. You have too many toys. What can you do?"

"Uh, leave them behind, or give them away?"

"We'll take them to India for the poor kids."

Sagar said, "We're not going to India for two years."

"Oh."

"I got it, we'll give them to the veterans."

"Veterans are grown up people, they don't play with toys."

"Maybe we can give them to children's charity."

"Bhaiya, can we do that? Give the toys to a charity?"

"You sure can. Less is more, girls, less is more. We'll ask mom or dad about the charity names and you can help give them away. Suchi-Soori, now maybe you can do the same with your clothes."

"Yeah, less is more, less is more. Let's get rid of more of our clothes and keep less, let's start now."

The twins got busy with the clothes box and Sagar went to finish his own packing.

The End


© 2014, Meera Desai Shah

   

A Dog, a Cat and a Rabbit

Hello,

It's nice to be back after almost a four week vacation in India. I stayed put in the apartment all the time-did not go out of town to for a visit or any recreational activities. My most enjoyable activities were yoga-six days a week and an hour walk every evening. There was no TV, no radio,  no movies. I visited a cyber cafe when most children were at school and the cyber cafe was quiet. It was a good vacation.

This morning I read,

One in three Americans doesn't get enough of shuteye, and chronic deprivation can lead to long-term health problems. 

Another report from Australia said: We have an affluent, car-oriented, screen-dominated society where we eat as much as we like, we eat junk because it tastes good and it's quite cheap. 

I also read stories about a dog, a cat and a rabbit. Didn't miss the one about wearable sleep monitors. If we want to be healthy, we want our children to learn healthy habits, exercise is an activity for life.

My readings led me to the following story.

Meera

A Dog, a Cat and a Rabbit

One morning, sixteen-year-old Sagar got ready. He felt well rested after a good sleep and thought, I can take on the whole world today. Nah, forget the world, I'll just deal with my sisters.

Sagar knocked on twelve-year-old Sapna's door, "Wake up, Sapna, time to shine."

Sapna answered, "I'm up, just putting on my socks."

They both went into the eight-year-old twin's room and shook them by legs, "Come on girls, get up, it's time for our walk." 

Suchi opened her eyes, turned around and covered her face with a blanket, "I'm not going."

Soori pulled off the blanket, "I am up, you have to be up too, for our walk."

Each of them had a banana for breakfast.

Sagar asked, "Tell me guys what do a cat, a dog and a rabbit have in common?"

Suchi said, "They have four legs."

Soori said, "They have fur."

Suchi said, "They like to run."

Sapna asked, "What if they can't run?"

Sagar added, "What if they have arthritis?"

"Huh?"

"Arthritis is a disease that affects bones of people as well as animals."

Sapana said, "Bhaiya and I are going to make sure that we do some physical activity when we are young so we'd be ready."

Suchi asked, "Ready for what?"

Sagar said, "Remember how grandpa had to have a knee replacement surgery some time ago? He had arthritis."

"So? I don't have any arthritis."

"Right, none of us do. But we are young and in case we get it when we are older--- Today we'll walk to the YMCA and do some swimming."

Suchi threw her banana peel into a trash can, "I'll also get a knee surgery when I am older. I'm going back to sleep."

Soori grabbed her arm,"No, you don't."

Sagar said, "Sleep is important. Even the Olympic athletes try to get enough sleep to get a competitive edge-to be a winner. You may sleep but not just now, after our swim."

On their walk to the pool, the older siblings told them the stories about how a dog, a cat and a rabbit were made to take laps to keep their limbs moving as a part of their physical therapy. The movement of limbs while swimming made them limber and they hurt less. 

"Why can't they just walk on land?"

"Water, that's hydrotherapy is easier on the body, it does not hurt as it would by walking because the body stays afloat and does cause a lot of friction." 

Suchi pouted, "Whatever..."

Sapna said, "Besides, exercise, any kind of continuous movement will release the endorphins in the brain and make you feel better. Elevate your mood. It makes you smarter."

Soori said, "Whatever, I do it because I like it."

Suchi said, "It will make me smarter? I'll get all A's in school?"

Sagar said, "Well, that depends on how much you study, how much you goof off and how much attention you pay in the class and do the homework and ..."

"Yeah, yeah, enough. I get it. Let's go..."

One by one they all jumped into the pool.

The End

Fights and Arguments

Hello,

Fights and arguments among siblings, classmates, and even between countries are common. They occur because someone possesses something that the other wants, the scale of the altercation depends on the prize---the very reason for their fight.

A younger child likes to join the older siblings in a play. The older sibling refuse him/her. The younger sibling turns violent-disruptive, a reaction that we, the adults, have learned to curb (I hope).

Sometimes it becomes necessary to discipline a child. It is observed that such discipline, as hated as it seems to be, is a lesson in life---We do not solve problems by hitting, at any time. I like to add no raising your voice to my short list of not hitting.

Meera

Fights and Arguments

One day four-year-old Sohan's school called his home to tell his mom that she needed to pick him up since he was hitting.

Mom went to pick up Sohan.

Sohan showed her a band aid on his forehead, "Ethan hit me on the head with a block."

Mom looked at the teacher, "What happened?"

The teacher said, "Ethan and Johnny were playing in the block center. Sohan wanted to join them. They told him to go away. He got upset and kicked down their building. Ethan hit him with a block and Sohan hit Ethan back with a block."

"Uh, oh." Mom said.

"Yes, we are so sorry." The teacher said.

"I too am sorry." Mom said.

"It happened very fast, before I could get there, the building was down and Ethan-Sohan hit each other. Ethan also went home."

Mom nodded. On the way home, she tried to reason with Sohan that hitting is bad and it hurts people.

Sohan played with his band aid.

Mom told the story to the older siblings, Sagar and Sapna. She told them to keep an eye on Sohan while she went out to a meeting with Dad.

When his eight-year-old twin sisters kept Sohan out of their game, he kicked one of the sisters and pulled the other one's hair.

Sixteen-year-old Sagar took Sohan out of the playroom and told him--- No hitting.
Sagar made Sohan sit by him without talking to him.
Sohan wanted to play with his computer, Sagar stopped him.
Sohan tried to get off the chair, Sagar stopped him.
After five minutes, Sagar told Sohan that he could play by himself without bothering his twin sisters.

At dinner time, Sohan pushed his feet against the counter, his high chair toppled and Sohan's head hit the floor. He cried for a few seconds. Then he wanted to climb on the chair again. Sagar told him that he lost his privilege of the chair.
Sagar gave him a choice, either sit on the floor to eat by Sagar or sit without eating.
Sohan chose to skip food.

Half way through Sagar's dinner, Sohan wanted to eat.
Sapna served him food and the two brothers finished their dinner on the floor.

Sapna took the twins out of the room to avoid gloating and feeling smug.

This discipline went for over a month. Every time Sohan hit, he was removed from the location. The parents and the older siblings spent considerable time to "train" the youngest one.

Over time, Sohan learned self-control and became a part of the team.



***The next five weeks I will be out of town, and will not write anything in my blog. I hope to continue upon my return. Thank you.

OMG

Hello,

I walk into the local public library in my town, and I see a big red concrete chair, and in front of it these words of Richard Scarry, "The more you read, the more you'll know; the more you learn, the more places you'll go."

Once someone asked me from where do I get the ideas for my stories? I divulged my secret: If it's written, I read. I read story books, I read newspapers and magazines, I read scraps of paper and the words behind the receipts I get from stores. I may not remember all that I read, but I keep in mind the words and stories I like.

The concept for this story came from one of the random readings I did in a magazine.

Meera

OMG

Seven-year-old twins wandered into their brother, Sagar's room. 

Suchi said, "Bhaiya, we want to ask you something."

Sagar looked up from the mystery book he was reading, "Okay, ask."

Soori said, "What are M&M's?" 

Sagar frowned, he realized the girls weren't looking for the answer---chocolate covered candy. He put his fingers on the temples, "I am thinking, I am thinking."

The girls smiled at each other.

Sagar said, "I got it, M&M's is Mars & Murie's, the last names of the candy's co-owners."

Soori said, "I bet you don't know what CVS is."

"Hmm..CVS...CVS...I know, it is Consumer Value Store."

Suchi looked at Soori, "I guess he knows what is WD-40."

Sagar smiled, "I sure do. It stands for Water Displacement-40th formula."

Soori said, "How do you know all the answers, Bhaiya?"

Sagar nodded, "That's because I am smart, girls."

Soori said, "I guess, you are."

From behind a door to Sagar's room, Sapna joined them, "Suchi-Soori, Bhaiya reads whatever written things fall in front of his eyes---books, scraps of paper, newspapers, magazines and even the Internet." 

Sagar made a face, "Aw---Sapna, you gave away my secret."

They all burst into laughter.

A very Happy 2014 to everyone.

Meera

Happy Holidays

Wishing Everyone Happy Holidays  ...............................

Meera 

Growing up by Yourself

Hello,

Often we, the humans, feel that we created the social order, after all, we are the the most intelligent beings in the animal kingdom. I say, Ha, to that.

One wonders who taught ants to walk in line? Who taught honey bees to make a perfect honey comb? Who taught birds to migrate? It is the older generation- the parents, the grandparents, the elders and the adults who teach the younger ones. Children will copy what they see. 

Recently, I read about a herd of young elephants that lost all its elders a couple of decades ago due to culling. Their decision making ability remains impaired due to the disruption in their social order. The social abilities of the young elephants is severely compromised, they fail to differentiate between a friend and a foe.

Human order is no different. We observe disruption in the lives of children either raised by one parent or worse, after the loss of both the parents.

Meera

Growing up by Yourself

Bhaiya = brother

ears perked up = listened more

Six-year-old Suchi and Soori played with their dolls.

Suchi said, "Let's make this doll an orphan."

Soori asked, "Why?"

"So she can do what she wants, eat what she wants and go to sleep when she wants."

Soori smiled, "Yeah, she is free to do whatever she likes."

Their older sibling, ten-year-old, Sapna's ears perked up when she heard the conversation. She ran to their big brother, fourteen-year-old, Sagar. "Bhaiya, the twins are talking about making one of their dolls an orphan. I don't like it."

The brother-sister came to the room where the twins were playing.

Sagar asked, "Hey, daring-duo, what's up?"

Suchi said, "Nothing Bhaiya, we are playing dolls."

Sagar picked up a doll that was sitting by herself in a corner, "And why is this doll sitting in time-out?"

"She is not. She is just thinking how to mess up the other dolls' play."

"Why does she want to mess up someone's game?"

"Because she is an orphan and gets to do her own thing."

Sapna said, "That does not sound very nice, maybe she too wants to play."

"Maybe, but she does not behave and---"

The second twin finished the first one's sentence, "And she always interrupts and messes up. That's how an orphan is."

Sagar said, "And girls, what is an orphan?"

The twins said, "A kid who does his own thing."

Sapna asked, "Have you ever seen an orphan?"

"Yeah, this new boy in our class is an orphan and he's always interrupting the teacher and messes up our work."

Sagar asked, "And do you like that?"

"No---"

Sapna asked, "What if everyone was an orphan in the class?"

The twins smiled at each other, "Our teacher would run away."

The other twin added, "And that would be so much fun."

Sapna asked, "Think again, you two, who'll teach you in the class without a teacher?"

The twins exchanged glances and shrugged.

Sagar asked, "How does that idea sound to you?"

The twins said together, "Not good at all."

Sagar said, "Yeah, not good at all. An orphan is a child who does not have any parent."

Suchi said, "Why would they leave him?"

"I do not know what happened to the little boy's parents."

Soori said, "Didn't they love him?"

Sagar asked the twins, "I don't know. But think, if no one told you bed-time stories or took you to a zoo or played with you, how happy would you feel?"

"We'd be miserable."

Sapna said, "Girls, do you disrupt your class?"

"No--- because we know better."

Sagar continued, "That's exactly the point. The orphan boy doesn't know any better, doesn't know how to behave and so he messes up other children's play."

"No one told him how to behave."

Suchi said, "Soori, let's get this orphan doll back in the play, the other dolls can teach her how to be nice."

Soori brought the doll from time-out back into the play and they played with all the dolls until their parents came home.

What's in a Name

Hello,

The other day I had gone to a library and saw a little girl with a teddy bear. The librarian said hello to the little girl and asked her what was the teddy bear's name. The little girl did not answer. A boy who waited behind her in the line said that his dog's name was Scoobi.

I told the boy that Scoobi was a lovely name. The boy smiled and told me that his name was Victor. I said his name was lovely too. Victor liked to talk and told me that his name meant that he is a winner. I smiled and told him that he looks like a winner and I moved on.

This story comes from names.

Meera

What's in a Name

Five-year-old, Sapna came home from a birthday party one day and plunked down on a sofa in their living room. She opened the goody bag she had received at the party and then tossed it at the other end of the sofa.

Her nine-year-old brother, Sagar said, "Hey, sis, how was the party? Did you bring me some goodies too?"

Sapna picked up the bag, held it closer to her heart and said, "You weren't invited, it was for my friend's birthday." 

"That's cool, that's cool. May I have at least one candy from your bag?"

Sapna tossed the whole bag at Sagar, "Here, I don't really want any candy from the bag."

Sagar picked out a chocolate from the bag and peeled its wrapper. He popped the chocolate in his mouth and murmured, "Hmm...tasty. Why don't you want any candy?"

A tear rolled down Sapna's cheek, "They told me that my name was pretty and asked me what it meant?"

"So? What's there to be so grumpy about that?"

Sapna shed a couple of more tears. She picked up a tissue from the side table, " I don't know what it means."

Sagar said, "Big deal, at least you know how to spell it."

"Everyone can spell their name in my class. That's not a big deal. Nisha said he name meant 'night' and Faith said her name meant 'belief' and then they asked me, and I didn't know."

"Your name means a 'dream'."

"And yours?"

"It means an 'ocean'."  

"Everyone's name has a meaning?"

Sagar shrugged, "I don't know. Sometimes people make up names. I remember one day Dr. Melwani had come to our house and she said that one of her patients named her daughter, "Melwana'!

Sapna laughed, "So it's okay if your name has no meaning?"

"Well, it still is your name and what it means is---you. I guess Melwana means delivered by Melwani!"

"That's not the same as a real meaning."

"True. That's how new words are added to the dictionary. Besides, you don't name yourself, your parents do. Sometimes your friends can change your name if you are too tall or short, or smart or silly. You might hate it, and then the friends will use it even more, to make you mad."

"Bhaiya, I like my name, Sapna,  and I also like its meaning, a dream."

Sagar said, "I remember a story from Mom's class. She always called boys with a mister in front of it and girls with a miss. I would be Mister Sagar and you would be Miss Sapna."

"That's the story?"

"Sapna, learn to wait, be patient. Back to mom's class, once on the first day in her class, she welcomed a boy by saying, 'Good morning, Mister Michael.' The boy said, 'My name is Michael, not Mister Michael'. Mom smiled and said, 'I like your name, Michael, but in the class I'll have to call you Mr. Michael so that I remember it's you and no one else.' The boy nodded and went on to sit with the other children."

"That is a funny story. I know I am Miss Sapna."

"That's cool, that's cool. If you are from the south, the girls have two names, you would be Sapna Sargam (sargam = sir-gum, symphony). They have Lisa Marie, Dolores Rose or something like that and then people would call you by saying both your names together."

"Hey, Bhaiya, I'd like to be called Sapna Sargam."

"Okay, you can do that when you are eighteen, and that's the law. Just now you are Miss Sapna."

"Hmm...and I'll stay Sapna, I like it because it's my name."

Sagar gave a high five to Sapna.