Disciplined Child, Responsible Adult

When I reflect on the days of being a child; talk of the zero worries, the fun, the play and the easy life, the matter of discipline also sets in. Today, it's a reflection that brings gratitude within me. There was recklessness and carelessness, but thankfully, we had the parents to be glad for, who stood as guardrails to us. Otherwise, many of us would have gone over the cliff.

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As a child, I thought like a child, talked like a child, and reasoned like a child. Now as a man, I look at some of those childish acts, and can't help but laugh, while falling into thoughts and reflections at different times. These reflections reflect on me the good work of discipline played by my parent in my life. I can't help but be thankful today.

Yes, I'm thankful today, but some many years back, I never thought I would see it in this light, or have this positive spirit about it. With all the “pains and annoyances” that the stroke of cane brought, or the restrictions, the compulsion, how could I see it as anything good, talk less of being appreciative? Well, it was a child's thought, a child's reasoning, a child's talk. As a man, I know better.

Those days, one could feel unloved or despised due to the infliction－and what I see as the necessity of this discipline. Alas, what would I have turned out to be without those necessary measures of discipline? So much grateful for them all; the no to some requests, the mandatory tasks or duties, the “curfews”, the limits/restrictions, and the “annoying” strokes of cane.

I wasn't the most stubborn of them all, or of a high rank in that regard in the neighbourhood, but I had my share of stubbornness too. It was mild and incorrosive in perspective. Nevertheless, the rod that doesn't spare the child when applied knows better how to deal with it. That was something every child dearly despised, but its deployment into the scene was handy. I hold cherish and in practice some of the things taught me due to this discipline.

One of the acts of discipline I despised as well, then as a child, though reaping the benefit today was contentment. There's this meme; if I can call it so, that I've been seeing these days. It asked a question that was like, what was the thing your parents taught you that you hold dear today, and see the value? Guess what the reply was? Contentment. Not to be moved by the things others have that you don't, but learning to be contented.

Honestly, I've seen this help my life. To some extent, I'll say that my parent said no to some requests to teach me and my siblings discipline, and the need to be contented. In this world; a digital world where almost everything you see could be just a facade, contentment is a value and character to have. Thankfully for that training, I'm not moved by things I don't have or are beyond my means. It has helped me maintain my peace.

Undoubtedly, no child will find discipline sweet or palatable. Yet, it's the future that tells the value to the adult. Grateful that many of our parents knew and understood that, so even when we disliked them for it, they still dished it out in love. Every adult today remains appreciative of that. A reflection like this brings gratitude and appreciation in my heart for such discipline.

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Images are mine, except otherwise stated.

Thank you for reading through!