‘Who has seen the wind’ is a poem by Christina Rossetti that I recited in primary school.
It’s nearly four decades since this incident happened, and I remember like it was yesterday. I woke up that morning as usual, got dressed in my school uniform of royal blue gown and ready to go to school. My father was in the living room when I said goodbye. It was very windy outside. As I looked up to my father who seemed to be a giant, we walked towards the front door. He said, ‘put some stones in your uniform pocket to add your weight so you don’t get blown away when crossing the river ‘Chua-chua’. This river was on the way to school.
As a child I was very tiny and feather weight, and I took that ‘advice’ seriously.
I had told the story to my children and a few years ago, my daughter returned from school asking me lots of questions. What had happened was that while in school, it was too windy at play time. The class teacher contemplated whether it was safe to let the pupils go out to the playground.
My daughter called the teacher’s attention with a brilliant suggestion that pupils can put stones in their pockets. The teacher was surprised and asked my daughter how and where she came up with such an idea. My daughter narrated the whole story to her teacher who asked questions that she did not have answers to.
When my daughter returned home, she asked me unending questions. That got me thinking.
Now I wanted to ask those questions to my father. I got on a phone call with him and asked where the idea of putting on stones in my pocket came from. He seemed surprised and asked where that information came from. I explained what happened that morning as I prepared to go to school. He found the story very funny, and he laughed until he started choking. Then he said he could not remember a thing like that.
The morale:
Adults say things to children without realising the importance they attach to such information. Some ideas may just be ‘jokes’ and children with their growing brains are unable to differentiate whether its fact or fiction. They take the ideas seriously.
We form certain beliefs without facts to back them up.
❓What beliefs are holding you back from being your true self? Share your experiences please.
💥PS - If you want to replace some of your beliefs, I would like to have a chat, book a FREE call.💥
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