Mistakes are forgivable

Place : Sweet Home
Time : Story telling time aka yesterday night

Mostly I read out the stories from some story books or create some instant imaginary characters in the story or sometimes my kids become the lead characters in the story they want to listen.

Like my son Dhruv loves bus, so he wants to listen to a story where he owns around 50 buses. All schools in our city likes only his buses and so on. So the story telling goes this way.

I love reading different genre books so I believe that kids should also get the flavor of different stories and not only moral stories. So a few months back I made a timetable of such story patterns.

Like on Mondays -mythological stories, Tuesdays -sci-fi story with unimaginable possibilities involved, Wednesdays – my kids story, Thursdays – moral stories etc.

So, yesterday was a moral story day. Last week I had told them a story of Japanese Fishing companies to learn that how to turn challenges to opportunities.

While doing the final touch up in kitchen, I was planning for the story for the day. I have told so many stories till date, that I could not remember any one at that time. So I decided that I will just pick anyone from google and tell them.

The drama :

When I entered the bedroom, it was already dark and there was a pin drop silence like shown in horror movies.

I was surprised to see that both were sleeping wisely without any story and even without telling me. I was so happy that I had a chance to sleep immediately.

At the same time, I was curious what had happened to my kids to behave so nicely. And then I got suspicious that something was definitely wrong in that silence.

Suddenly I saw shining eyes of my son Dhruv in that dim light and understood that both of them had surely done something wrong and were hiding from me.

Durva is enough matured to create such drama but Dhruv is too young to pretend the same thing.

When he saw me, he tried to whisper in her ear that mom has arrived. And his voice was loud enough to reach me. I turned on the lights.

Durva was still acting of deep sleep whereas Dhruv started smiling at me as if I had caught him. When I reached near bed, I sensed the wet bed-sheet.

And immediately got the story behind this whole drama.

“Tell me, who poured the water on the bed?” I asked.
With eyes tightly closed, Durva was trying hard to control her smile.

Dhruv quickly came to me and pointing towards my daughter he said “she did that”
Listening to this, Durva jumped on her feet and shouted , “he is so liar…he did all this”

OMG ! next 5 minutes I felt like watching a badminton shuttlecock. It was going here…there …again here …and again there. No one was ready to accept.

Finally I said, “Okay….. Whoever have done this.. Please accept. I will not punish. “
Silence.
After a few minutes, both shouted “SORRY mom. ”

And then there was a huge explanation session from both of them at the same time where I understood nothing. Anyways, so this way, it was over.

While I was changing the bed sheet, my daughter asked me, “Mom, did you ever make a mistake? ”
What a question it was !

Of course I make, I made , I will make mistakes. In fact I am not less than a blunder queen. I have made countless mistakes in my life and still continue to do that. I think everyone of us make mistakes right ?

But you know what ? I have a habit that I accept my mistakes and enjoy the punishments too.
So I decided to tell them one story that how mistakes are forgivable from famous book ‘Shyamchi Aai’ in Marathi .

Those who are not aware of the book, let me tell you it is a great work in Marathi literature by Pandurang Sadashiv Sane better known as Sane Guruji who was a famous author and social activist.

The book is filled with short stories, all based on Shyam’s experiences and his mother’s love and teaching, each with an unforgettable moral.

I clearly remember one story where little Shyam made a mistake of stealing money and didn’t accept at the beginning. I found it relevant at that time so I picked it for them.

Kids were excited to get the nutrient dose of the day for their brain and I started narrating the story.

The Story of One rupee coin :

“This is the story of Shyam. He was staying with his parents who were very poor but with very high moral values. They were living in a joined family means with his parents, uncle, aunt, grandma and his cousins.

Those were the days of pre-independence in India. His father was a follower of Lokmanya Tilak at that time. So naturally, Shyam also wanted to get educated and become like Lokmanya. “

Durva interrupted , “Mom, I have a lesson of Lokmanya Tilak. Is he the same Tilak who is there in my book?

“Yes, as I told you, this happened before independence of India”
“Ohk…” Durva said.

Now, my son has a habit of copying everything from his sister. If she asks a question; he would also ask anything or create doubt out of anything.

So he also asked, “Mom, ‘India is my country‘ na?”

It’s funny but equally disturbing when you are creating the whole virtual world of the story with just your words.
“Yes. Now you people are going to listen further or should I sleep?”- Me.

“Mom, you only said that ask questions if you don’t understand and now you are ….” – Durva.
“Shut up. Now, listen what happens next.

One day, Shyam wanted to buy some books but he had no money. So with a lot of courage, he stole whole 1 rupee coin from his uncle’s shirt and kept it with him secretly.”

Durva started laughing. “But why there’s need of stealing of only 1 rupee? He should have taken it from his piggy bank na?”

“Stupid ! There was no such concept of piggy banks then. You kids are lucky to have it. And see, 1 rupee of those days means almost 100 rupees of today. Moreover Shyam was from a poor family. ”

“Ok. So what happened next? Did he buy books from that stolen money?” – Durva have no patience.

“No. When his uncle realized that out of 5 rupees, only 4 rupees were left; he immediately blamed Shyam for stealing that remaining 1 rupee coin. Shyam’s mother Yashoda was shocked with that humiliation. See, stealing of 1 rupee was a big thing for them in those days, it was a big blame.

And his uncle was saying firmly that Shyam was present in that room, so he was the only one who had stolen the rupee.”

“Then his mother scolded him. Right ?” Durva again.

“NOOOOOO…. His mother, Yashoda strongly believed that her son would never do such a thing. So she supported her son. And for each and every blame statement by his uncle, she had her defending statement for her son.

She was constantly telling, “Please don’t misunderstand. My son is very loyal and honest. He will never touch anyone else’s money.”

Now, Shyam was listening to all their conversation. With his mother’s every statement of support, he started feeling more and more guilty.

His mother had a blind trust in him, as she had already taught him the lesson “stealing is a sin”. So she believed that he would never do that.

As the conversation moved forward, now his aunt asked for investigating Shyam’s shirt. Shyam was horrified with that.”

I looked at my kids, Durva was equally horrified that what would happen if his uncle get his coin in Shyam’s shirt. And Dhruv had the same expression like his sister. Don’t know how much he actually understood.

“Shyam was worried:
My mother would be hurt hard if my theft get exposed in front of all.

As it was the time, even his mother was helping him, it was of no use. He was too young and had no capability to think much. His uncle and aunt were looking at him angrily and his poor and innocent mother was fighting for him with both of them that her son was humble and sinless.

With all this, Shyam was caught in an emotional trap, where there was no way to come out of that.

“What happened next ?” both kids were listening with wide eyes.
“And then , suddenly there was a ray of hope. While defending for her son, the loving mother, made a hopeful statement for Shyam.

She earnestly requested her brother-in-law, “Please don’t blame my son. He surely have not done this. But if he has done it, he will confess. He will accept his mistake honestly. ”

OH !! Now that was the way.

Tears rolled down from Shyam’s eyes. He started crying loudly and ran towards his mother. He hugged her tightly and confessed, “I am sorry mom, I am sorry. I am so sorry. I have stolen that one rupee coin from uncle. I wanted to buy books. I am sorry mom, I am so sorry.” He was crying and crying and crying.

OH. MY. GOD.

You could have imagined the situation. How his mother might have felt at that time. It was more humiliating than the blame on her son.

She started beating him up, and then forced him to promise God that he would never do the same again.

This way, Shyam got the biggest lesson for his life from that single 1 rupee coin. OKAY ??
So do you understand. Stealing is a sin. It’s a big mistake. ” I concluded the story.

I have seen people who always blame others for their mistakes, for their failures or for their loss.

But I think we should take the responsibility of our own mistakes and forgive ourselves first. Then automatically we get the courage to admit it.

I always think from Shyam’s side, it’s better to accept mistake on correct time rather than repenting later. Because mistakes are forgivable if accepted.

So the story was over. I also took promise from my kids, that we should remember the lessons and should not make mistakes.

But even if we make a mistake, learn to accept it. I think, Durva had understood the whole story.

Dhruv only understood that whatever mistakes are made, has to be told to mom without hesitation.

Next few minutes were really funny where both my kids hurriedly started admitting many mistakes they had made yesterday and before that.

And guess what ?

I forgave them. For all their mistakes.

Mistakes are forgivable if one has the courage to admit them.
Friends, it was the thought for the day.

Please write your similar experiences where you made mistakes or blunders, whether funny or painful. And what was the feeling when you accept or deny it?