Workshop on Values - With Young Children

- by a K-1 Teacher

Children are precious. Truly.

I have been blessed to work with six and seven year-olds and I truly wonder sometimes how I get paid to do this. I believe that there is no greater joy than being out in the playground on a warm spring afternoon with twenty-seven of them, birds chirping on the budding blossoms overhead, listening to their laughter and make-believe. Kids that age are so spontaneous and innocent. Even their little lies are so transparent that you have to laugh.

We have all witnessed the special relationship that children have with Amma. No matter where she is, Amma is constantly surrounded by children- they are attracted to her like iron filings to a magnet. I have often watched the reticent ones trying to conquer that urge- they slowly creep up the steps leading to the stage almost like they are pulled up by some invisible rope, then all of a sudden they are overcome by shyness and they come down again, only to go up again in a few minutes.

There is a little girl, a toddler, in New Mexico who I watched with much joy last summer. Over and over again, she would watch Amma singing bhajans and get so involved, especially in the ‘Mata Rani Ki Jai’ part, that she would climb up the steps on all fours, speedy like lightning, only to scuttle back down to her mom, because she had to get past a “scary” swami. Later last year in the fall, I saw her again in Michigan, sitting next to Amma, kissing and caressing Amma’s face during bhajans, standing up and looking deep into her eyes every so often. Then quite spontaneously, and quite unexpectedly, she pulled up Amma’s skirt, just a little bit, to peek at her feet while the entire audience doubled up in laughter.

Then there are the children who donate their entire piggy-bank-savings to Amma. They are all over the world- little Amritavarshini in Seattle, little Momo from Japan- these are but two faces of these children. Amma herself is so moved at their gesture. Kids that age usually are all about themselves- but here we see a deep compassion being born in their hearts which shifts their perspective and makes them want to do something for others. “Such children are blessed,” Amma says, “we should touch the dust from their feet to our foreheads…” Beautiful accolade from one who really knows.

But what moves me beyond anything else is the love for God that Amma fills them with. Have you ever seen a seven-year-old cry for God? I had thought this extraordinary, only possible for exalted beings like Amma. But over and over again, I have seen this happen myself and have heard about it from others as well.

When Amma is not in the country, many of these little seekers attend satsang. It does not matter whether they are physically close to Amma or not. Like seven-year-old Neha in Florida who attends her local satsang. She has only seen Amma twice, but even so, when her parents cannot make it for the Saturday satsang, she still wants to go. Two Saturdays ago, she was very upset and cried when the family got back late from an outing and couldn’t attend satsang. So, the next Saturday, her family made it a point to drop her off for satsang, even though they could not make it that week!

Neha

Many of these little ones drag their families to satsang as well. Last week when Br. Dayamrita was in Mexico, he met a ten year old girl who does just that. She drags her mom every week for satsang and has not missed one so far. In fact, she was recently given the choice of going on a vacation to Thailand or going to Amma’s ashram. She has chosen to go to Amritapuri.

Swami & Pam

What is it that moves these children to act in such an inspiring fashion? It all goes back to the inspirer, Amma. It is the love, reverence and respect with which she receives them. It is watching the passionate expression of her universal love unfold. It is seeing the compassion in her eyes for the suffering. It is experiencing her love for God within their own hearts. What else can it be? For as we know, children learn best through modeled behavior. Amma says, “Youngsters need to understand the purpose of life. They need courage and wisdom to face the challenges of life. With that understanding they become the light of the world. If we care for them responsibly, molding their whole character with love, then the future of the world will be safe.”

Video on Amma

Gujarat Video

AIMS Video