Picnic on Gravity Hill

March 14, 2017

Courtesy: Our amazing fellow Abir

"Who doesn’t love the weekend?

It’s the only thing that keeps us going through the monotony that is the long tedious hours sitting in a cubicle, following the rat race that life has become for most of us. But we know why we do it. For the little ones. Our pride and joy.

From the moment those little fingers wrapped around your hand, you made  Â promise to yourself to go through all kinds of personal hell to make sure that they never have to walk in the sn. And if that means sacrificing your Sunday morning for a day in the park, that doesn't seem to be too demanding.

If you managed to get out of bed on Sunday the 6th of May and make your way to Gravity Hill in F-9 park, you would not have been wrong in mistaking the scene  before you for a typical family picnic. The picture fit the description perfectly. There were all the little children, dressed in their Sunday best, playing games, listening to songs, reading, doing all the stuff a normal family would do. And yet, something did not add up despite large trays of smiley-faced home-baked cupcakes and goodies from the fellows,  delicious picnic food from our generous friends Thali and all the outdoor games.

For one, the grownups looking after the kids, monitoring them, playing along were too young to be their parents. But if you took a closer look, you would have noticed the maturity beyond their years behind those eyes. You would have felt the calluses on those hardened baby hands. You would have seen the steely resolve in those tiny souls even in a game of relay race or Frisbee. And yet, there was no meanness or jealousy that is present even in children when it comes to sharing their precious toys. And that alone should have made it clear..for these were no ordinary children.

These were street children. We also call them 'under-privileged' sometimes.

Their whole life has been one big struggle against fate and the world from the moment they were born. For most, childhood ended the moment they opened their eyes to the world without doting parents or all the luxuries that money could buy. Most of these young kids had to learn a trade to earn a livelihood for their families while they should still be playing.

But instead of toys, they were handed rags and clothes to clean, merchandise to sell and trash to pick to earn for their family.

However, for one day, they were children again.

 

 

Organized by Lettucebee kids, an organization that cares for street children and orphans by teaching them how to be better human beings and not lose their innocence in the monotony of existence that life has become, this picnic was the culmination of a long and fruitful relationship that the grown-ups have had with these less fortunate kids. For through their sincerity, kindness, and generosity in spite of all the hardships these young souls have had to face so early on in their lives, they have taught important lessons in life to even their seniors.

As the sun set on Gravity Hill that Sunday evening, I saw the children transform right before my eyes. Without a word or being told to, they silently helped their elders and each other, clean up the place and pack up the picnic stuff.

There were no groans or complaints or pleadings for five more minutes or one more round of games. They knew that life did not afford them such luxuries. Life was all about these little moments of bliss. And they had learned to savor them, with no regrets.

 

Instead, they welcomed each moment with a smile and a spring in their step, for after having seen life from rock bottom they knew that their dreams and aspirations were the only wings they would ever have to lift them up.As I waved goodbye to the kids, I wondered if we were teaching the kids about life or was it the other way around."

 

---

Also in Blog