<p>Like kindness and charity, education must also begin at home. Unwittingly, parents take the role of providing both roots and wings to their children. Roots to keep them grounded in reality and wings so that children can reach out beyond themselves in search of their dreams. Another role that some parents subliminally take on is that not paving the path for their children. Instead, they prepare the child for a very uncertain, often difficult road ahead.</p>.<p>My nephew was working on a project as part of community service. He had come up with a wonderful idea of designing a flower bed near the entrance of the community temple. An arduous, ambitious undertaking but something that would perhaps pass the test of time and stand as an ode to beauty and service. The idea behind the task was to realise the importance of community and teamwork and naturally, the community rose to the occasion and helped him raise funds for the task.</p>.<p>His parents helped him in planning, procuring material and the initial groundwork. The rest of the negotiations and the actual task was left to him. The project was rather challenging and required several external variables to work in cohesion. My nephew continued to build his dream flower bed from the stumbling blocks that came in his way. He learnt how obstacles can actually work like blessings and help us change and grow.</p>.<p>As he was nearing the completion of the project one of the external variables shifted. Something beyond his control loomed over the success of his project. His parents could have resolved the situation for him, but they wanted to keep it real. In life, even the best laid plans are sometimes thwarted and more often than not we have to either come up with a new plan or find ingenious ways to resolve the situation. This is after we have dealt with the frustration and disappointment that comes with trying to accommodate things beyond our control.</p>.<p>They could have paved the road for him, but instead they prepared him for the difficult road ahead by letting him face and come to terms with the hard realities of life. The journey, they say, is more important than the destination and some very onerous paths have shaped some very sublime souls.</p>
<p>Like kindness and charity, education must also begin at home. Unwittingly, parents take the role of providing both roots and wings to their children. Roots to keep them grounded in reality and wings so that children can reach out beyond themselves in search of their dreams. Another role that some parents subliminally take on is that not paving the path for their children. Instead, they prepare the child for a very uncertain, often difficult road ahead.</p>.<p>My nephew was working on a project as part of community service. He had come up with a wonderful idea of designing a flower bed near the entrance of the community temple. An arduous, ambitious undertaking but something that would perhaps pass the test of time and stand as an ode to beauty and service. The idea behind the task was to realise the importance of community and teamwork and naturally, the community rose to the occasion and helped him raise funds for the task.</p>.<p>His parents helped him in planning, procuring material and the initial groundwork. The rest of the negotiations and the actual task was left to him. The project was rather challenging and required several external variables to work in cohesion. My nephew continued to build his dream flower bed from the stumbling blocks that came in his way. He learnt how obstacles can actually work like blessings and help us change and grow.</p>.<p>As he was nearing the completion of the project one of the external variables shifted. Something beyond his control loomed over the success of his project. His parents could have resolved the situation for him, but they wanted to keep it real. In life, even the best laid plans are sometimes thwarted and more often than not we have to either come up with a new plan or find ingenious ways to resolve the situation. This is after we have dealt with the frustration and disappointment that comes with trying to accommodate things beyond our control.</p>.<p>They could have paved the road for him, but instead they prepared him for the difficult road ahead by letting him face and come to terms with the hard realities of life. The journey, they say, is more important than the destination and some very onerous paths have shaped some very sublime souls.</p>