Rules, manners and a sense of fair play.
I love to obey rules. Even the least important, the most trivial of them, I obey. I suppose I got it from my mother. When I was a child, I used to make a lot of notes while studying. For this, I used old notebooks and as they filled up, foolscap paper that my mother used to buy by the hundred. When I found out that some of my friends used the backs of paper that their parents brought from their offices, I asked my mother for some too. She wouldn’t agree, she would herself recycle it for official notes instead.
She would never give us even a pen that her office provided for. As a child, I couldn’t understand this and would sometimes secretly try to empty her handbag. She always would say, “I will buy you a new one if you want.” And she would buy it, the best there was. But somehow, in the way a child’s mind worked, I never wanted a new one.
Once I remember at a clothes store, I found a cardboard tag that had dropped off from some dress. It had a nice picture on one side of it, so I picked it up and wanted to keep it. In all my innocence, I showed it to her. She said, you will have to ask for permission from the salesman to keep it. I dropped it, I was so angry. Even though I still can’t see her side in this, I am happy I have such a mother.
She taught me not to throw waste in public places. Even when we went on long road trips, she would collect every toffee wrapper, every biscuit cover and keep it in a plastic cover to throw when we see a dustbin. In a time and place where everyone littered, it was an important lesson. A lesson I carried to another extreme as I carefully collected all the hair that fell while combing for three days when I attended a camp, just because there wasn’t a dustbin in my room. I must have forgotten half of her lesson, to throw it away when I get a chance!
My father however never took obeying rules to such an extreme, especially while driving. He parks the car anywhere there is space except of course where there is a NO PARKING board. My mother has perfected the art of not letting this happen by refusing to get out of the car until it is properly parked!
Mother also taught us to stand in lines wherever there is one. Though she is quite a peaceful person, she never hesitates to stand up for herself when someone tries to break a line. I remember an incident at the Guruvayoor temple. We were standing in line for more than an hour to get darshan. At that time, they opened a line for senior citizens. She immediately remarked rather loudly about twenty and thirty year old senior citizens. The thick-skinned people however managed to get in nevertheless.
I also got my habit of switching off lights and fans from her. All through school and college, I was the one who went around switching off the lights and fans when the classes end.
She has this lovable habit of giving gifts to both the children on either of their birthdays. She says giving only one will make the other feel left out. So my sister and I got dresses and presents on both our birthdays. It goes without saying that she is much liked by all the neighbours’ and friends’ children. While going to see a newborn baby, she carries a gift for the elder child too.
Note: I noticed that my mother hasn’t been making an appearance in my blogs as much as say my grandmother, my father and my sister. She is a dear, my best friend, the one person to whom I can say everything I want to without even thinking about it.
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A sense of fair play is developed slowly, a bit each day, through every action and transcation. It is a treat to read about it and must be a wonder to experience her care.
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sureshmiyer thanks for the comment. Yes, discipline is very much necessary
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Sorry madhuri for the delay in replying. Thanks for the comment. Yes, we are surely lucky to get great parents
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Your mother is right. Discipline is necessary in life alongwith freedom.
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Nice, very nice :)) ...I am a born questioner and rule breaker, I'm afraid :( ...But I too collect garbage and store it when I can't find a dustbin ... Children are incredibly lucky to have parents who walk the talk!!
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wiskyd that is true about other people influencing you.. i hvae been teased so many times about these.. when i persisted, they stopped
thanks for coming.. and i don't have a kid
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Nice memories of the good things your mum taught you. I guess all mums try to inculcate good habits and values but there are so many other external influences that act upon the 'student' and it's very rare that this concern for others and public property is retained. Good for you that you still have it. Howz ur kid with all this though?? Are you being a good influence on her??
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anamadheya so you are having a happy and busy time now
enjoy! yes finding dustbins is difficult esp in roads..
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thanks meanders. will surely check out your blog..
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