Tags
Aarya, baby, content, Extended family, Family, happy, India, joyful, lesson, Long Vacation, Los Angeles, Mumbai
Hi everyone, sharing a post that I had written in May 2013.
I recently returned from India after a long vacation with my baby girl, Aarya. Leaving Mumbai after a truly lovely trip with my family to return to my new home in Los Angeles was the toughest part of my stay. Being in a joint family with a multitude of cousins, friends and neighbors visiting, my daughter became accustomed to having many loving people around. Family members always came and played with Aarya immediately after work before they attended to their personal things. She was constantly the center of attention, especially since she is the first baby of the family after 22 years. She loved being around people and she adored all the attention.
I became worried that my daughter might be getting spoiled and too accustomed to all of the special attention and love. How was she going to manage back in Los Angeles when she is alone all day with no one to pamper and dote on her besides her mommy and daddy, with daddy being at work all day?
Once we got back, Aarya truly surprised me and taught me a valuable lesson.
She taught me to be at home wherever you are in the world. After reaching our house in Los Angeles, she has been as happy and as joyful as she was in Mumbai. Her mind doesn’t seem to be wandering to other places or thinking about other people. She remains completely present,100% in this moment, and completely happy and joyful as though nothing has changed. When she was at her grandfather’s house with everyone around, it was as though she completely belonged there, and now that she is here alone at home with her parents, it’s like she thoroughly belongs here.
Aarya is able to be cheerful and content in nearly every circumstance, no matter where she is or who she is with.
When will we learn to follow a baby’s authentic and innocent example to be happy, joyful, content wherever we are and in every situation?