International Day of Peace: What we can learn from children
Imagine a world where only the body and intellect grow older and mature, but the heart, emotions and mind remain child-like. Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on September 21. The United Nations General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples. What lessons can the world learn on peace from children?
It is a given that small children below the age of three are usually very peaceful and happy (though mothers would tend to say that their own lives are not that happy with the mischief that these three-year-olds do). Studies show that on an average, a child smiles about 400 times a day and as it becomes a teenager, this comes down to about 18 times a day. Whereas adults need to be told jokes to make them smile. Every adult was once a child. So, where did it lose these innate natural qualities that each individual is born with? It is said that a child is full of energy, enthusiasm and joie de vivre but gets “adulterated” as it grows, losing all these natural qualities and becomes an adult.
Imagine a world where only the body and intellect grow older and mature, but the heart, emotions and mind remain child-like. According to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, “A disease-free body, quiver-free breath, stress-free mind, inhibition-free intellect, obsession-free memory, an ego that encompasses all, and soul which is free from sorrow is the birth right of all individuals.” So how can we create an environment where all children retain their natural innocence and inhibition-free intellect as they grow and become the next generation in our planet? A three-fold strategy is necessary.
- Each one of us who wishes to take responsibility for establishing peace in the world should first take steps to be peaceful within. Trust in spirituality, recognising the divinity in every living being and adopting a lifestyle that keeps us content and peaceful is a start.
- Like-minded educationists worldwide should ensure that schools provide a holistic curriculum and teach all children a little about all religions and groom them to be wise individuals that will celebrate diversity in thought, opinion and philosophy.
- Parents and teachers should be educated on how each of them has a great responsibility in shaping the attitude of children and what is it that they must do on a day-to-day basis to maintain the innocence and scientific temper of kids as they grow into responsible members of society.
Every individual has a role to play and any excuse to begin should not be postponed. The International Day of Peace is a good excuse to begin with.