GET WELL SOON!

"Ridhi! Wake up," shouted Ananya. " Its already 6.10, you are still sleeping! Look at Diya, though she is younger to you, she is already cycling down. When will you become like Diya? Look! Samarth from your class is making news in Sports! Bhanu is now the Top Ranker of School. I don't know why you are not bothered about your life. " Ananya kept talking on and on... " Learn something from Aru, she's so good in dance, Garv is the Master of Chess ... Ridhi! I'm talking to you... Wake up! Don't waste your life sleeping, doing good for nothing! Wake up, will you? " as Ananya shouted on top of her voice, Ridhi's father had to intervene in the conversation.

"Ananya, why are you screaming, this is not the right way to wake up the little one from sleep", said Ridhi's father in a gentle tone. " This is the age for the little ones to eat, sleep and rejoice! Childhood is that part of life which once gone never returns. She just finished with her exams and it's her vacation, moreover! Why do you want her to wake up at 6 in the morning? Poor girl has spent three months of sleepless nights studying under your pressure! Why are you troubling her now! " This time he sounded worried about his 8-year-old daughter.

Ananya felt mocked out of the conversation and wanted to spill out her frustration, as to how other kids of Ridhi's age were into the competition, while Ridhi was busy enjoying vacation! She felt the pressure of competition and winning medals, in the outer world, more important than rejoicing the flavor of childhood! Ananya, a software engineer at work, had taken a break from her long career goals, only to push her little daughter into the competitive world.

Hearing the loud conversation between her parents, Ridhi reluctantly stepped out of her bed and rushed down to her badminton class at 6.30 in the morning. The whole day Ridhi was tied up to some class or the other, just to be in pace with the so-called competitive talented kids! Once the kids got busy with their classes, the parents would get into their business of nonstop talks about their so-called competitive kids! Every parent was busy projecting their child to be more talented and skilled than the other. Despite the burning Jealousy for one another, they masked their face with the dramatic smiles and fake applause! Back home, the kids were filled with hate in their little hearts for their fellow friends!

The so-called competitive world, competitions, awards, and medals, had turned out to be more, the assets of pride and prejudice! The very word "talent " lost its meaning in the true sense, just like the word "childhood "! The kids turned out to be medal producing machines and a mere showpiece of pride and prejudice in the society! Here the competition had ruined the friendship between the kids. Once upon a time close friends had now turned out to be rivals! Mere winning and loosing had built a wall of enmity amidst the little hearts of Friendship!

Ridhi, Garv, Aru, Diya, and others were daily made to repeat the same bitterness, hate, and enmity in the name of competitions, talent, and awards. It was high time for the kids, to get suffocated in the cycle of talent. Every day, they remembered the times they spent playing on the mud, on the streets, without any restrictions for anything, times when only love and care united them.

One night as Ridhi was really tired with her whole day race for victory, she cried her heart out. She wanted to stop winning. She felt like her victory, her talent separated her from her friends! She felt more than winning medals, winning over a million hearts with smiles was more needed! The next day even before her mother could forcefully wake her up, she got ready early by sharp six and left to her class.

Ananya, waking out of her sleep, hurriedly reached Ridhi's bed, to wake her up. To her surprise, she found a yellow envelope. As she opened it, her heart thumped hard and eyes went wet, with tears rolling down the cheeks ...The card in the envelope said: " Mumma, I know you are mentally stressed about me, Don't worry, Get well Soon. Hugs and kisses from your loving daughter." The very moment she felt like the floor down her feet had cracked into millions of pieces!

Ananya heard the sound of a big sigh from Ridhi's father. "Look Ananya, at least now you need to understand. In the mad rush to win something, we are losing something big! Childhood! It's high time, society needs more parental counseling. Addicted to awards and burning in the flames of jealousy, I'm sure no parent would be able to set morale to the kids. If you remember, neither you nor I were forced by our parents to do anything which we didn't like. " He paused, looking at the pain in Ananyas eyes, he continued... " Don't worry, She loves you the most. She knows you did it for her good. Your intentions may be good, but the method was definitely wrong. "

Ananya with a deep sigh, " You are right, this envelope, turned out to be an eye-opener! I have realized what good parenting is and will promise to be the best mother to my little angel. "

As she said this, she heard the doorbell ring and smiling Ridhi was at the doorstep. Ananya rushed to hug her little princess, kissed her all on the face and said ... " Ridhi, Dad and I are planning for a long vacation to your Grandparents native. Start packing, let's spend this vacation rightfully. " Ridhi was overjoyed to listen to this from her mother. She gently asked, " Mom, so what about my classes and competitions? Don't I have to beat Garv in chess? Aru in Dance and Bhanu in academics? They are my rivals, right? " Ananya could see how the seeds of hate sown, sprout in her daughter's heart. She immediately hugged Ridhi tight and whispered, " No! No more fake pride! I'm happy for what you are and so is your father, proud of you my princess. "

Moral: A happy childhood is mightier than mere victory in competitions. Right Parental counseling is the need of the hour!