Sunflower

Amira brought home some sunflower seeds in a can from National Geographic. I read the instruction carefully to her. Everyday she waters the seeds with love and her unique curiosity. She puts it outside the window so she can see it anytime. One of these days...she laughs so cheerfully knowing and seeing her seeds finally showing themselves as tiny green plants growing up right before her eyes while she is watering them. She is so happy. Her patience is paid off. Although she knows there are still more days and weeks to come for her to be able to see the sunflowers.

Patience.. something that is not easy for her to learn. Something that has always been a struggle for me to teach her. This is very natural lesson with a very humble reward from the earth. With a little help from some brilliant young minds, patience, life and the beauty within, she has learnt and decorated the walk of her learning experience.

What these new generations have done to the newer generations helps me understanding something; the unique pace of knowledge learning in human development.

What my little girl has learned yesterday, today and tomorrow might have a huge impact for others in the future. Understanding and facilitating her unique learning style and pace are as important as watering and giving some sunshine to the seeds or plants to make them grow strong and healthy. The question is - are we as parents ready to advocate our child in her unique way? Do you really believe the meaning of the words "every child is unique"? or is your heart saying that "every child should be the same" while what your lips say "every child is unique"? The words "the same" are obviously different with the words "equal right". Advocating our child means fighting for our child's right of equality. Helping him/her building his/her character and creating his/her own identity that are supposed to be different one another and in its own uniqueness. How many parents who are struggling very hard to make their child just like any other child so the parents won't be blame for having a unique special child. And the child won't get bully by other kids, or even teacher for being different. It's an interresting fact in a charming yet challenging life.

In the meantime,let the sunflowers grow,rise and face the sun.



by : Laksmira Ratna Bayuardi ( Kuma Laxmi )

9 november 2009