There is so much talk about development, be it an individual's or the society's. But then what is development ? What does one need to acquire in order to be 'developed' ? Frankly, these questions are difficult to answer. Does development mean the techno savvy and jet life of today or the quiet and slow life of the past. To keep my views focused, I have kept my discussion about individual's role in self and societal development.
Starting with initial formative years, a child develops so many abilities like mobility, language, emotions, exploration, taste, etc. Supplementing these, the family instills moral values through stories, good habits through routine process and a few tasks to be completed by independently by the child. I remember that my grandmother, who successfully handled children in her creche, would ask all kids to bring some water in a glass across the room. As a kid, I found it amusing but later on I realized its importance in developing concentration. This incident still has me thinking as to how certain playgroup activities influence us in our development. Keeping the footwear in the shoe stand, washing hands and feet after coming home, praying at dinner time, waiting for the entire family at the dinner table, completing assigned chores and homework, sharing with brothers and sisters, caring for others (no matter what species!), doing puja and reciting shlokas with elders and so many more fond memories. These very memories; good or bad, are what make us, define us and channel us towards meeting challenges.
As a teenager, the child displays the off shoots of sudden growth, both physically and psychologically. The confusion about leaving childhood and stepping into adult hood, leaves the child rebellious and in urgent need of being on track. Isn't this the time that most of us took up various activities of our interest, be it hobbies or sports ? The ability to multitask between different activities like study, sports, reading, music, etc combined with the divine presence of friends, indeed helped in the adolescent phase. The involvement in all these was enough to let the teenage identify likes and dislikes. Few demonstrated more focus which turned into success in the form of medals and recognition. And all this on top of all the good habits and morals inculcated during childhood years. The simple act of bringing a glass of 'un-spilt' water as a child, really helped in collecting and nurturing water (read hobbies or interests) as a teenager.
The adult phase of a human is indeed the longest not only in terms of time but also in terms of shouldering responsibility. The qualities acquired as a teenager need to be fine tuned further to complete and complement the education or skill development, as may be the case. The inherent habits (which become a part of daily routine) along with the morals learnt as a child and experiences gained as a teenager / adult; aid in identifying the person's area of interest to pursue career. It is during the good and bad times, that a person shows his character, which in course invites friendships and love for more years to come. A person undergoing these develops so many traits desired in so many roles that after more wear and tear, there is need to turn to meditation, yoga or self reflection. Such developments indeed alleviate the person for better thinking and behavior and promote for a healthy body, healthy soul, healthy family, healthy society. Live and let live.
The society development starts at the basic unit ie family, a close knit family is a micro reflection of healthy society that provides the cocoon for the new generation. The village with its nature and hardships; the city with its amenities and problems; the country with its strengths and challenges; all provide ample security in growth and development even in the face of adversity.
Holistic development is all about developing appropriately at the relevant time along with bringing contentment and peace to individual and society. A healthy mind and body reflects on the society too. Life has become more positive too due to modern facilities. Life expectancy and cures to many illnesses has all been possible due to development. Communication and reach-ability has become possible along with equality among the humans. Mankind has gone beyond the provision of food-shelter-clothing. The need is to go beyond the self holistic development towards the nurturing of environment too.
Starting with initial formative years, a child develops so many abilities like mobility, language, emotions, exploration, taste, etc. Supplementing these, the family instills moral values through stories, good habits through routine process and a few tasks to be completed by independently by the child. I remember that my grandmother, who successfully handled children in her creche, would ask all kids to bring some water in a glass across the room. As a kid, I found it amusing but later on I realized its importance in developing concentration. This incident still has me thinking as to how certain playgroup activities influence us in our development. Keeping the footwear in the shoe stand, washing hands and feet after coming home, praying at dinner time, waiting for the entire family at the dinner table, completing assigned chores and homework, sharing with brothers and sisters, caring for others (no matter what species!), doing puja and reciting shlokas with elders and so many more fond memories. These very memories; good or bad, are what make us, define us and channel us towards meeting challenges.
As a teenager, the child displays the off shoots of sudden growth, both physically and psychologically. The confusion about leaving childhood and stepping into adult hood, leaves the child rebellious and in urgent need of being on track. Isn't this the time that most of us took up various activities of our interest, be it hobbies or sports ? The ability to multitask between different activities like study, sports, reading, music, etc combined with the divine presence of friends, indeed helped in the adolescent phase. The involvement in all these was enough to let the teenage identify likes and dislikes. Few demonstrated more focus which turned into success in the form of medals and recognition. And all this on top of all the good habits and morals inculcated during childhood years. The simple act of bringing a glass of 'un-spilt' water as a child, really helped in collecting and nurturing water (read hobbies or interests) as a teenager.
The adult phase of a human is indeed the longest not only in terms of time but also in terms of shouldering responsibility. The qualities acquired as a teenager need to be fine tuned further to complete and complement the education or skill development, as may be the case. The inherent habits (which become a part of daily routine) along with the morals learnt as a child and experiences gained as a teenager / adult; aid in identifying the person's area of interest to pursue career. It is during the good and bad times, that a person shows his character, which in course invites friendships and love for more years to come. A person undergoing these develops so many traits desired in so many roles that after more wear and tear, there is need to turn to meditation, yoga or self reflection. Such developments indeed alleviate the person for better thinking and behavior and promote for a healthy body, healthy soul, healthy family, healthy society. Live and let live.
The society development starts at the basic unit ie family, a close knit family is a micro reflection of healthy society that provides the cocoon for the new generation. The village with its nature and hardships; the city with its amenities and problems; the country with its strengths and challenges; all provide ample security in growth and development even in the face of adversity.
Holistic development is all about developing appropriately at the relevant time along with bringing contentment and peace to individual and society. A healthy mind and body reflects on the society too. Life has become more positive too due to modern facilities. Life expectancy and cures to many illnesses has all been possible due to development. Communication and reach-ability has become possible along with equality among the humans. Mankind has gone beyond the provision of food-shelter-clothing. The need is to go beyond the self holistic development towards the nurturing of environment too.
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