"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
Does that ring a bell?Harry Potter and his mischief is not the sole property of the wizards,is it? We,the ordinary mortals that inhabit these dusty lands can vouch for that. 100%.We ,the adults of today have experienced an intangible magic ,a freedom that is inaccessible to our children, in our wonder years .We have climbed trees and jumped from the broken branches. We have scraped our elbows and knees on the dry twigs and ragged stones. We have shaped our dreams with mud pies and murky water. We have caught( and freed) fire flies and watched in awe at the green lights that they emitted from their butts. We have stretched out our arms and pretended to fly with the wind beneath our wings. We have screamed our lungs out at the thought of the impending holidays. We have watched in fascination, as our parents sat up whole night and completed our homework. We have lolled on the ground reading tattered comic books passed down from the older siblings.We have whiled away time just watching the clouds float by ,telling their own stories.We have waited a week to watch the one programme on TV that was of any interest to us( All ye who remember DD 's Chitrahaar , stand.)We have come home to mother's who would just get us to wash up and send us back again.We have been lucky.
Unfortunately, the generation of today is not so fortunate.We have put backpacks equal to their own body weight on their backs.We have divided their days into doing and learning time.
We make them attend Abacus classes and taekwondo classes and music classes and cooking classes and send them to summer classes so that they can make one thing and only paint them in the color we tell them to.We allow them to make only what we guide them to.Make this ,not that...see like this.... Etc..
So why can't the children just paint their toes or just paint the dog or the face of the sleeping gatekeeper?
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Why can't the children just skip class and have nothing to do?
When Surf Excel made those 6 short films about 'Dirt is Good' my heart really felt the warmth.I wanted to be a child again.They may have all the technology and gadgets and fast cars and fast foods,but we owe them the freedom and innocence we have taken from them.We have made them beasts if burden....
Let us set them free from the Rigmaroles of school routine and homework and projects and computers.Let us allow them to feel the sand through their fingers.Let them run through the dusty roads instead of coasting through the virtual world with the analog controller in their hands.Let them be free of the TV reality shows and dance like no one is watching.Let them make a mess ,because with this mess they are making memories that will last them a lifetime.
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And I'm sure the mother's will agree, even when they are faced with insurmountable amounts of washing, they know that 'Dirt is Good'.Surf Excel allows mums to say that "Daag Achhe Main" because these stains will help the children grow.
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So ,watch the six films today and you will realize that dirt is indeed Good.Let's gift them their wonder years.And let them not be up to any good.MiSChieF ManAgED.
