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Workshop # 13
The Age of Innocence
 When
I look at the picture, what strikes my mind immediately, is the
beautiful innocence of the
baby and her passion for experimenting with new things. I find it
similar to the adventurous attitude of today's young generation to
try anything new that catches their fancy.
A baby is calm and well protected inside the darkness and warmth of
her mother's womb. When she is born, she is suddenly exposed to the
light, the sound and the wind. Everything she looks at are new to
her. The various sounds are exciting. She has a great temptation to
touch and feel colorful things and find what it tastes like. She
explores the world with her tiny hands.
She is awed by the elders and tries to imitate them. She does not
know what is right and what is wrong. She does not know what is safe
and what is dangerous. She learns only through experience, which may
be bitter sometimes. She is fascinated by the exciting new world
around her. She does not know touching a hot object will scorch her
or pulling a heavy object will fall and hurt her. She goes on
exploring and experimenting and alternately being shocked and
surprised and sometimes scared and hurt by the consequences. She
needs someone to guide her and guard her.
Similarly the adolescents and teenagers of today are exposed to an
exciting world full of
colorful temptations. The TV gives them both necessary and
unnecessary knowledge. The internet
provides the answers for the forbidden questions. So they know both
what they need to know and what they need not know. They have too
much on their plates. The ways and means of getting spoiled are too
high.
The western culture of fast food restaurants and fashion shows have
become popular among Indian youngsters. Smoking and drinking have
become a part of their lifestyle. The dating culture and premarital
sex have become a common topic of discussion and becoming
increasingly accepted in many families.
The baby in the picture is wearing the glasses of an elder person.
It does not suit her, but it will also not hurt her. And it will
satisfy her inquisitive mind. So we can watch and laugh at her
little pranks. At the same time we would never allow her to play
with fire or on the edge of a staircase.
We should draw a fine line between what is accepted and what is
prohibited. It should be done in such a way that she is protected
and also her passion for experimenting is not crushed. In the same
way we should let the teenagers know what is good and accepted and
what is bad and prohibited. Anyway we should enjoy their youthful
enthusiasm and sometimes let them learn lessons the hard way.
– Janaki Janar
July 18, 2002
Workshop # 13
Articles
Baby Talk by Rajeshwari Hemmadi
Harvest by Subhajit Ghosh
The Age of Innocence by Janaki Janar
The Rainbow by Anu Chopra
Vision by Pavalamani Pragasam
Poems
A Few Miracles by Neria Harish Hebbar, MD
Back in Your Life by Sarita S
Beauty & Majesty by Seema Banerjee (Ray)
Beauty in the Eyes of the Beholder by Hillol Ray
Colored Vision by U.M.
Deep From My Heart by Sarita S
Did The Angel Visit You? by Shipra Raman
Julius Caesar by Kumud Ranjan Biswas
My Baby, My Child by Maria K. Kaeble
Rediscovering The Lifeline by Priya S
Sign of Supremacy by Raayan (S. Sivashankar)
Staring at Her by Seema Banerjee (Ray)
The Child by AJ Rao
The Little Genius by Uma Parathasarathy
The Super Child by Upradrasta Vijaylakshmi Prakasam
Unsung Lyrics by Shridhar Iyer
Wanted : A Fresh New Pair of Eyes by Meenakshi Madhur
What is Life About? by Shobha Ramesh
Your Adult Culture by Neria Harish Hebbar, MD
Workshop
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