The purpose of man and woman coming together to start a family is not just for their pleasure, security, and comfort. There is a higher purpose, which is bringing forth children into the world who can improve the lives of future generations. The responsibility lies mostly on the parents who are entrusted with life’s greatest gift, which is their children. Every child has immense potential. When children are brought up in the right manner, they can contribute significantly to happiness and wellbeing in the world. Due to the misdeeds of one person, thousands can suffer. In the same way, due to the work of one person, thousands can benefit and be happy. Every child has the potential to make the lives of thousands of people more comfortable and safer.
How children turn out in adulthood is dependent on their parents. In a typical family, the wife is like an apple tree, the husband is like a tamarind tree, and the child is like a butter fruit tree. All three trees have different characteristics and unique individual traits. For example, apples provide energy, tamarind imparts taste to food and satisfies hunger, and butter-fruit cools the body in hot weather. Different aspects of these three trees give beauty. In the apple tree, it is the fruit, in the tamarind tree it is the leaves, and the hanging pods and a butter fruit tree as a whole looks beautiful. These trees don’t grow in the same soil or the same climate. An apple may look beautiful, but a tamarind pod should not be underestimated since it is rough and thorny on the outside. Only when eaten, its taste will be known. This is the case with love. It should not be just skin deep.
Love lurks deep inside. If we put our differences and ego aside, we will get a taste of love. Husband and wife should be happy and loving with one another. Children will grow up very well in such households. If they fight and have enmity towards one another, children will also grow up to do the same with their life partners. The proper psychological growth of children depends on and affection, between their parents and between the parents and the child. Money, position, power, and education are secondary.
For us to see clearly, we need eyes and eyelids which keep the eyes moist and clean. Some may need eyeglasses for near and far vision. Mother and father are like the eyes and eyelids, and we cannot say which is more are essential. Both have to work for us to see. Children are like eyeglasses which helps us see far distances. Through them, we know the future of the world.
The future of the world depends on how parents love one another and in turn express their affection towards their children. Just like the taste of an apple or tamarind stays the same from the first to the last bite, a husband and wife once joined together in marriage should remain united till the end of their lives, and the love between them should be as fresh as what it was at the beginning of their relationship. Then the future of the world will be safe and secure through happy, well-rounded children who will become the mothers and fathers of tomorrow.
Blessings to all, Swami Ponnurangam April 20, 2019