One of the greatest ironies of growing-up is that…“Our many privileges take away some of our ‘very basic rights’”.
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You never grow up in the eyes of your old relatives! And on the top of it, they never shy away from reminding you that they have seen you from diapers to knickers to the pants & pajamas. And interestingly, they remember your most embarrassing moments most vividly. In my case, one of the favorites for all of them is how super-ultra-hyper sad/angry I would get in childhood whenever India would lose a cricket match (as if I was an exception!).
The other day, as some of we cousins were enjoying an unplanned get-together, the television was mutely airing a cricket match (not that of India) in the background. And while munching one of the harder nuts for him, one of our older relatives looked at me and asked…“Do you still get upset when India loses?”
Well! I didn’t know why but I straightaway said “No uncle! Now, I have many more reasons to get much more upset about…” Now, on any other day, it would have sparked a laugh, but for some strange reasons, everyone had a slightly somber smile about it. And one of them also ended up saying “and still…now you can’t get upset on them!”
Well! Precisely while all of us were soaking that subtly-poignant moment in, one of the kids in the family entered the hall crying uncontrollably. When we asked what had happened, the reply was “the paper cup I was playing with, rolled down under the bed”…
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Well! Two of my favorite lines of Javed Akhtar from one of his ghazals that compares adulthood and childhood are…
“Ek ye din jab laakho gham aur akaal padaa hai aansuu ka…
Ek wo din jab ek zara si baat pe nadiyaan behti thi.”
…When people say that they miss their childhood, then mostly they don’t miss the ability to laugh like a kid; what they miss is… the right to cry like one. 🙂
About Sandeep Atre
Dr. Sandeep Atre:
• Counseling Psychologist and an internationally recognized ‘Emotional & Social Intelligence’ Expert, with experience of more than two decades in helping people ‘sort out’ and ‘excel in’ intrapersonal and interpersonal matters. He holds a PhD in Management and a Master’s degree in Psychology (www.dratrecounsels.com).
• Founder of Socialigence – a venture specializing in development of ‘Social & Emotional Intelligence’ and its offshoot interpersonal skills through workshops and an award-winning online course rooted in neuroscience and psychology (www.socialigence.net).
• Author of two books related to his domain, namely - “Understanding Emotions Logically” and “Observing Nonverbal Behavior”; and third book on various aspects of life, named “Two Paras of Everyday Wisdom”. Moreover, the collection of his Nazms and Ghazals is published as a book titled “Baat Jazbaat Ki”.
• Corporate Trainer, with experience of close to two decades. Has conducted 150+ workshops/sessions for 50+ organizations & institutions like CSC, Cummins, Piramal, Ranbaxy, Lupin, Bridgestone, Michelin, Eicher, Maruti, Force, Idea, Airtel, NBHC, SBI, HDFC, L&T, Zydus, Thapar University, Banasthali, Narsee Monjee, Symbiosis, IIFM Bhopal, Azim Premji University, Nirma, Welingkar & IBS Hyderabad.
• Co-Founder and Director of CH EdgeMakers – a leading ‘Coaching and Training’ organization of central India for more than 24 years. He has trained close to 100 thousand students for ‘Soft Skills’ & ‘Entrance & Recruitment Preparation’ (www.ch-india.com).
• ‘Management Speaker and Orator’. Has featured at platforms like TEDx, IIM, IIT, NIT, CII, YI, CII-IWN, TCS, IMA, ICAI, ECA, ISHRAE, NEN, Sahodaya, Aditya Birla Education Academy, Round Table, LinkedIn Local, Rotary International, MP State’s Teachers’ Training, Academic Staff College DAVV, Police University Rajasthan, Police Training Academy Indore & more than 100 institutions.
• Member of noted associations and boards. Has been an ‘Executive Committee’ member of Indore Management Association. Associate Editor of IMA publications. Governing Council Member of Banasthali University’s SBBJ Centre for Research in MSME & Promotion of Entrepreneurship in Women. Executive Member of IMS, DAVV Alumni Association. Member of Rotary International’s ‘Group Study Exchange’ team to Minnesota, USA. ESI Coach with FWSA Australia.
Note: For glimpses of work, watch YouTube Channel ‘Dr. Sandeep Atre at Socialigence’.
