Power of non-violence

Mr. Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and founder of the M.K.

Gandhi Institute for Non-violence, in his June 9 lecture at the

University of Puerto Rico , shared the following story as an example of

"non-violence in parenting":

"I was 16 years old and living with my parents at the institute my

grandfather had founded 18 miles outside of Durban , South Africa , in

the middle of the sugar plantations. We were deep in the country and had

no neighbors, so my two sisters and I would always look forward to going

to town to visit friends or go to the movies.

One day, my father asked me to drive him to town for an all-day

conference, and I jumped at the chance. Since I was going to town, my

mother gave me a list of groceries she needed and, since I had all day

in town, my father ask me to take care of several pending chores, such

as getting the car serviced. When I dropped my father off that morning,

he said, ' I will meet you here at 5:00 p.m. , and we will go home

together. '

After hurriedly completing my chores, I went straight to the nearest

movie theatre. I got so engrossed in a John Wayne double-feature that I

forgot the time. It was 5:30 before I remembered. By the time I ran to

the garage and got the car and hurried to where my father was waiting

for me, it was almost 6:00.

He anxiously asked me, ' Why were you late? 'I was so ashamed of telling

him I was watching a John Wayne western movie that I said, '

The car wasn't ready, so I had to wait, not realizing that he had

already called the garage. When he caught me in the lie, he said: '

There's something wrong in the way I brought you up that didn't' give

you the confidence to tell me the truth. In order to figure out where I

went wrong with you, I'm going to walk home 18 miles and think about it.

'

So, dressed in his suit and dress shoes, he began to walk home in the

dark on mostly unpaved, unlit roads. I couldn't leave him, so for

five-and-a-half hours I drove behind him, watching my father go through

this agony for a stupid lie that I uttered. I decided then and there

that I was never going to lie again.

I often think about that episode and wonder, if he had punished me the

way we punish our children, whether I would have learned a lesson at

all. I don't think so. I would have suffered the punishment and gone on

doing the same thing. But this single non-violent action was so powerful

that it is still as if it happened yesterday.

"That is the power of non-violence."

Things which only MOM can teach...

My Mother taught me about ANTICIPATION:

"Just wait until your father gets home."

My Mother taught me about RECEIVING:

"You are going to get it when we get home!"

My Mother taught me to MEET A CHALLENGE:

"What were you thinking? Answer me when I talk to you...Don't talk back to me!"

My Mother taught me LOGIC:

"Because I said so, that's why." & "If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

My Mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE:

"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way."

My Mother taught me to THINK AHEAD:

"If you don't pass your spelling test, you'll never get a good job."

My Mother taught me ESP:

"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you're cold?"

My Mother taught me HUMOR:

"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

My Mother taught me how to BECOME AN ADULT:

"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

My Mother taught me about SEX:

"How do you think you got here?"

My Mother taught me about GENETICS:

"You're just like your father."

My Mother taught me about my ROOTS:

"Do you think you were born in a barn?"

My Mother taught me about WISDOM OF AGE:

"When you get to be my age, you will understand."

My Mother taught me about JUSTICE:

"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you. Then you'll see what it's like."

My mother taught me RELIGION:

"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL:

"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

My mother taught me FORESIGHT:

"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

My mother taught me IRONY:

"Keep crying and I'll *give* you something to cry about."

My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS:

"Shut your mouth and eat your supper!"

My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM:

"Will you *look* at the dirt on the back of your neck!"

My mother taught me about STAMINA:

"You'll sit there until all that spinach is finished."

My mother taught me about WEATHER:

"It looks as if a tornado swept through your room."

My mother taught me how to solve PHYSICS PROBLEMS:

"If I yelled because I saw a meteor coming toward you, would you listen then?"

My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY:

"If I've told you once, I've told you a million times: Don't Exaggerate!! !"

My mother taught me THE CIRCLE OF LIFE:

"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION:

"Stop acting like your father!"

My mother taught me about ENVY:

"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do!"

An 80 year old man was sitting on the sofa in his house along with his 45 years old highly educated son. Suddenly a crow perched on their window.
The Father asked his Son, "What is this?"
The Son replied "It is a crow".
After a few minutes, the Father asked his Son the 2nd time, "What is this?"
The Son said "Father, I have just now told you "It's a crow".

After a little while, the old Father again asked his Son the 3rd time, What is this?"
At this time some ex-press ion of irritation was felt in the Son's tone when he said to his Father with a rebuff. "It's a crow, a crow".

A little after, the Father again asked his Son the 4th time, "What is this?"

This time the Son shouted at his Father, "Why do you keep asking me the same question again and again, although I have told you so many times 'IT IS A CROW'. Are you not able to understand this?"

A little later the Father went to his room and came back with an old tattered diary, which he had maintained since his Son was born. On opening a page, he asked his Son to read that page.

When the son read it, the following words were written in the diary :-
"Today my little son aged three was sitting with me on the sofa, when a crow was sitting on the window. My Son asked me 23 times what it was, and I replied to him all 23 times that it was a Crow. I hugged him lovingly each time he asked me the same question again and again for 23 times.
I did not at all feel irritated I rather felt affection for my innocent child".

While the little child asked him 23 times "What is this", the Father had felt no irritation in replying to the same question all 23 times and when today the Father asked his Son the same question just 4 times, the Son felt irritated and annoyed.
So..
If your parents attain old age, do not repulse them or look at them as a burden, but speak to them a gracious word, be cool, obedient, humble and kind to them. Be considerate to your parents.From today say this aloud, "I want to see my parents happy forever. They have cared for me ever since I was a little child. They have always showered their selfless love on me.

They crossed all mountains and valleys without seeing the storm and heat to make me a person presentable in the society today".
Say a prayer to God, "I will serve my old parents in the BEST way. I will say all good and kind words to my dear parents, no matter how they behave.

The Importance of Open Communication

Open communication is vital in every relationship. Having an open communication between parents and children is one of the best thing in life. Sharing feelings, thoughts and ideas binds them more, strengthens their love and widens understanding though they are apart. It is not too late yet if you are not used to it, you could start practicing good communication with your loved ones today. And, if you are consistent to it definitely everything will follow.

Parents plans and do everything that is best for their children. So, even if they do not ask their children to return the favor for all their cares, their children usually thinks what is best for their parents especially by the time that they are no longer staying with their parents and cannot immediately respond to their parents needs as much as they love to. Elderly care topics like finding the right nursing home or in-home health care and other relevant topics for elderly needs could easily be tackled to parents though they are still on their productive and active age if there is an open communication between parents and children.

Having a great relationship and good communication with your parents with the assurance of your care though you will be miles apart in the future and opening the elderly care topics with them as early as possible will open their minds and let them understand better of their future needs. They could even help you choose of the right facilities for their future needs like nursing homes that offers great nursing home services.
To find a nursing home or a great facility that they could feel at home with while all their needs are being catered is a great achievement not just to children but to the seniors as well. If your parents sense that you care and love them and your plans is for their best, for them to live a healthy, happy and longer lives, these will act as their motivators to be on state that you want them to be and, will love and understand you more. Open communication between children and parents especially when parents are on their senior years is much more needed than any other stages in life, hope everyone will understand its importance.

Parents Wish