CROSSING THE FENCE
-Aparna Chandra
January 29, 2024
Ever wondered what shapes your personality ? Your likes, dislikes, mannerisms, habits and lifestyle are deeply influenced by the people around you. Your parents who conceived you, your grandparents who are part of your family tree, your neighbours who stay next to your home, your friends who visit your home at leisure, your colleagues who share your office space, your siblings who surround you and the society in which you reside all have a strong influence in the manner in which you grow up, behave and take decisions.
A child who comes into this world is a fresh slate – he is inked by the footprints of his parents and those around him. It is natural for the child to pick up the language, slangs, speaking style, qualities, habits as they tend to copy the mannerisms to those next to them. Virtues practiced by one’s family becomes a natural norm for the child. A simple example being those parents who skip red lights and move hurriedly past them tend to have children who do it the same way.
Those of you who have seen their parents throw the smallest waste in the waste bin always make it a point to us one. Children whose caregivers stand and follow queues for their turn imbibe this practice automatically. When a household member makes all efforts to turn off the tap and lights to save water and electricity, everyone on their family and friends gets into the habit of conserving national resources.
The way we smile, frown or react without our conscious effort is all governed by our upbringing. The level of patience exhibited by our parents or grandparents rubs off on us too.
The importance of education, respect for all religions and a civilised lifestyle is ingrained in us from what we have observed around us in our life span. If being curious and experimenting with new things was not a taboo during childhood, one continues to be a learner for a lifetime. Whereas, those of us who are forbidden to research and delve into the details of our passion are left uninterested in pursuing anything.
Parents who practice ticketless travel are followed by their children who feel that travelling without tickets is the right thing to do. Following corrupt practices paves the way for the future generations to follow their footsteps. Respecting people, irrespective of their caste, creed, religion, power, stature or position is tough to follow but one does see such people ; who are an inspiration for others. Consuming food without wasting it is a habit many people stick to – and this is followed by tiny-tots who observe it as a family ritual.
Hold on to family and friends,
They do pass on some sense,
Carefully scroll through the lens,
As you try to cross the fence !!
Practice, passion to perfection
-Aparna Chandra
September 25, 2023
The sight of bright laddoos in orange colour with the pista on it decorated on a tray will entice you to pick one laddoo. The round shaped ladduo sparkling with Desi ghee is ready to melt in your mouth. The soft texture, the inviting appearance and affectionate manner in which it is made and served makes you gobble the laddoo with ease.
As you pick one and put it inside your mouth, your salivary glands are activated and you are ready to dissolve some more laddoos in your mouth. Irrespective of how grand the display is the neighbourhood sweet shop, the softness and appeal of homemade laddoo made by your mom has no match. The passion with your family members make sweet and savouries during festivals can simply not be compared with commercially made sweets.
But what makes homemade laddoos a delicacy ? It's the passion with which it is made indigenously. Numerous hours of practice over the years makes the laddoos perfect in shape, taste and appearance.
Learning is a continuous process wherein dedicated time is allotted to a particular task and passionate work leads to adulation, affection and appreciation. How do garland-makers make the perfect mala every day ? Quiz them and you will discover that they’ve mastered the art by practice and passion leading to perfection.
Only quantity doesn't matter; quality too is of utmost importance. Quality is maintained at home and work by engaging oneself continuously in the execution of the job. Honest effort topped with exposure and experience makes one perfect. As a person continuously works on something, he picks up small nuances, tricks of the trade and recipes for success. Efforts taken over time makes you a ‘ pro’ in the field as one gains experience of precautions to be taken and time to be allotted for practice.
Usually grandmothers have the best recipes. Do you ever wonder why ? Because they’ve been working on tasks throughout their life. They have spent innumerable hours churning out delicacies for different generations. They know what should be the ingredients, the proportion in which it is to be mixed, cooked or baked. The love and affection with which food is made has lasting impact on the recipient.
Factories may standardise the process but can never match home made recipes. But quality standards can be maintained with a systematic approach, organised methodology and continuous monitoring. Audits of quality can be carried out at home with grand children while testers can carry out checks at factories.
"Hold on to family and friends,
They do pass on some sense,
Carefully scroll through the lens,
As you try to cross the fence !!"
Great perspective thinking 🤔