THANK YOU FOR THE GIFTS

Today, THE DAWN CLUB will be starting a ten-day programme for the little ones. The age group will be from five to ten. 

For the past thirty-three years or so, I have begun and ended my day with young college-students. I have taught them the Commerce subjects… and, I have also trained hundreds of young ones in Personal Growth. Call it Personality Development, if you like. 

I thoroughly enjoy these sessions… Every summer, for two full months, I and some of my associates spend our time, energy, skills and talents to mould these young souls… It has been really a very fulfilling experience… Very empowering and very enriching.

But, those programmes are for the youth… For teenagers and beyond.

What about the little ones… the tender five-to-ten-year olds?

We will be starting their programme today, and I am simply excited about it!

What do these little angels expect from us, from me?

How will we, I, ‘mould their personality’?

What do their parents expect from us, from me?

Do they expect us, me, to make their kids into ‘Super-kids’… exceptionally outstanding in everything?

Last evening, a young parent had come to enroll his kid. This gentleman was a super specialist, in his field, as he claimed himself to be. He flashed his business card and bombarded me with a hundred questions. Essentially, he wanted to know this: How would we be making his ten-year-old son a ‘smart kid’… a ‘super kid’? He wanted to know, whether he could expect a real impact on the little one’s development? And, whether, he would get his money’s worth ( ‘peanuts’, anyway!).

For a simple fun-filled, happy ten-day ‘picnic’ in our classes, so many intellectual queries!

I was not only getting tired, I was getting annoyed, too… But then, I had to practice what I was preaching. I had to be patient, gracious, tactful… and, mean it, really. I had to be honest to my feelings.

I have written so many small inspirational books… I post everyday inspirational articles on my Blog. After my so many years of doing so much in the field, many parents do not have so many questions to ask me before they handover their little or young ones to our custody. Many of them just close their eyes and do it. And, I have no qualms when I talk about that, here.

They do. They trust and send their children to us, to me. And, I am proud and humbled, both.

So, this father of ten-year-old, this super specialist, this highly-qualified professional was trying to grill me on my credentials. 

Well, I did not get distracted. I just told him, what I always tell other parents: “Sir, they are small kids… Trust me, they will enjoy what we are going to do here… and, trust me, they will grow as fine little kids.”

After that, I handed over some of my inspirational books – four of them to be precise – not expecting him to jump in the air, certainly. I gave him graciously, even before his cheque had come to me… I gave with my gentlest words and warmest love… and, with no strings attached. I ,also, showed him the back cover of all those books: “This book is not for sale’.

When the books went to this highly-qualified super-specialist’s hands, I really felt I was placing my precious pearls in the hands of a monkey! His mind, eyes and heart did not even register what was being placed in his hands… those ‘gifts… the feelings behind them.


 It was indifference of the worst kind!

We can say ‘Thank you’ in a million ways. And, we can hear it in a million ways, as well!

Though I just said, that I had gifted the books 'with no strings attached', with no expectations, there I was - all feeling unhappy… Yes, I expected this gentleman to acknowledge my gifts. Yes, I had attached to my gifts some strings… Yes, I was feeling upset!

Now, the father is gone, and his little son is here. 

The father has ‘big’ expectations from me, while I had my ‘small’ ones from him.

How can I make this little angel a ‘fine’ soul?

How can I help him ‘develop’ his personality?

Well, certainly, I will help him learn how to ‘receive’ a gift and say a ‘thank you’ from the heart… and help him know – why?

I will help him learn how to ‘give’ from his little heart, without even expecting a ‘thank you’…

And, yes, when he feels hurt and angry,

 like I did,

 to look up to the skies and say loudly 

to the One behind the Stars:

“Thank you for the gift… Thank you so much!”

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pics.: Ronald Fernandes