Together With Nature- Kissan India

This post had been written for Kissan India

I always thought 90's was the best time of my life. The cooler would be on its high speed, my mom would sit on the chatai (straw mat) and cut mangoes for us in the hot afternoons after lunch and we would lie down and doze off till late evenings. Watching television was not the priority. There were a few shows coming on in the evenings and nothing really on for kids. And while we made plans for summer vacations eager to visit dida's house because she had this huge mango tree right in the middle o her house. We would put up a tent from the bedsheets picked stealthily from the family cupboard and adjusting it with a stick, five of us would sit under it, the eldest cutting the mangoes and the youngest trying not to get the red chilli powder in the eyes. Those memories would always be a part of my life. But do i regret being into the techno-savvy world? Not at all. Instead, I always thought my children would learn it the other way around. But army kids always learn it the toughest way. Since posted to various unknown locations, we get really close to nature. And there is no Mcdonals or KFC to appease the fast food cravings. In fact even in the city we abhor it like plague.
Togetherness does not mean having the latest mobile and sharing whatsapp messages or visiting the latest restaurant because you need to test the food outside. Somehow simple meals, sitting at the dining table together is all about a family showing love and care towards each other.

But I cannot avoid the digital challenges that I have to face everyday. Our collection consists of two laptop, iPad, mobile phones, kindle and some times its just too much to take it at once. However when I am with my child, i try to avoid too many distractions and try to focus more on him by playing outside than being cooped up at home. The other day it was raining pretty hard and all i wanted to do was lock myself in but my son wanted to play. So I pulled my sleeves up, decided to do something that i must have done in my childhood. Making paper boats. The wonder in his eyes is a cherished moment now. The boats floated and he also put in his toys on them, giggling at the world he was growing up in. No matter how much I long to do what I want to do, I end up being a 'mother' first. The happiness of playing with a child in real than handing him the iPad is  much satisfactory and I get my share of kisses and hugs because I feel as if his love can only come to me if i spend quality time with him than just being there as a presence. And presence have to be felt than anything else.