Don’t Be Ordinary, Be Extraordinary

There was a tribe in Madhya Pradesh, which grew tubers and roots for their sustenance. They would get a bumper harvest and all of them gradually became rich.

The elders of the tribe, however, were not very happy and they told the other members of the tribe, “The world becomes too predictable and the challenge goes out of life. We should have some challenge in our lives. Without challenge life has no meaning.”

So, the elders in their wisdom decided that they should not stay put in one place and that the entire tribe should move to a different place every 25 to 30 years. By moving to different places, all the people in the tribe would have to face new challenges. Each time they shifted to a new area, they would be required to find a new source for water, a new trail for hunting animals and also discover new jungles they could exploit. This way they would find meaning to life, and feel rejuvenated and happy.

Change is the essence of preventing life from being boring. Challenge makes life exciting. A challenge alone can bring out the best in man.

The effect of family culture on children has been a subject of study for many years. The healthy interaction of the parents with their children has a lasting effect on them and determine the kind of person that they grow up to be.

Family experiences revolve around five traits and characteristics. The first one is clarity i.e. children should know clearly what the parents expect from them. The second is centering, which means that parents show that they are interested in what their children are doing now and don’t only worry about what they are supposed to do later. The third is choice, where children feel that they have a variety of possibilities from which to choose. This includes breaking of family rules as long as they are prepared to face the consequences. The fourth is commitment, where the children feel comfortable and get involved in whatever they are interested in. The fifth one is challenge, where parents offer opportunities for action to their children.

Children who grow up in family situations that facilitate facing these five characteristics generally have a better chance to make their lives meaningful and purposeful.