At a sale of human brains, they had priced a child’s brain at Rs.100 and that of a grown person at Rs.50. One interested buyer asked the vendor why the child’s brain was more expensive.
The vendor responded that the child’s brain was fresh and unused.
Children, particularly when they are small, are non-critical, non-judging and unconditional in the way they receive people. At a recent workshop, I asked participants what they like about children. Several persons said that children had no expectations, were forgiving and unconditional. I corrected them by saying that children had a lot of expectations. On hearing this, one elderly gentleman said, “It is true that children have a lot of expectations; yet, it is also true that they do not have memories to fall back on, nor do they carry baggage; thus, their expectations are only of the present.” This was truly revealing.
Children do not have memories like older people do, and are spared of the burden of past hurt, painful memories and unpleasant experiences. This, therefore, allows them to live completely in the present and respond spontaneously, unmindful of the consequences or appropriateness.
Adults are circumspect and extremely careful in their exchanges with others; this limits their spontaneity. The suggestion is to live as much as possible in the now and respond to the situation and person as experienced rather than from memories that we carry.
In so doing, there will be freshness, authenticity and honesty in our approach.
