If the 'Adult-goal' of an INFANT was to prey on the dove, the latter's spirit shall frustrate the former's growth.
*- The African (Yoruba) Proverb*
The
infant stage is conspicuously antonymous to adulthood. It is
interesting that the life of an infant is full of cynosures which is
naturally endearing. Therefore, it is indeed an open secret that
childhood is characterized by naiveness, but the uniqueness of this
breed lies in their imagination capacity.
The
most beautiful thing about them is this; in the world of an infant,
nothing is impossible. The mindset of a kid is wired in an incredible
way, that their psych gives no vacancy for pessimism. That is why every
child dreams pretty big!
At one time or the
other during our childhood, we must have had some daring thoughts. Some
of which by now, when we go down the memory lane, will stir either a
big smile or hysteric laughter, perhaps due to the ridiculousness of
some of these thoughts.
Every child must at one
point or the other seen himself like a super hero whose versatility is
capable of building a wall and leading a war simultaneously. You thought
you could be an offender of the law, be the prosecutor, the advocate
and the judge at the same time. You had a great power that no other
person in the world was sharing with you. Your omnipotence was sui
generis.
But during the nurturing process, the
mind of a child often gets adulterated. And that is where change sets
in. At maturity, we tend to discard some impressions in order to embrace
the adult culture. However, due to the corruption in the adult cycle,
some of us adopts the wrong way of life. Because unlike childhood,
adulthood gives you the freedom of choice.
The
society naturally sees child guidance as a collective responsibility
while an adult only has access to advice. For me, that transition is the
most delicate in the life of any human. I believe counseling and
guidance is needed more at that stage of transition than during
childhood. Adolescence for me, is a stage of eagerness, confusion and
vulnerability. Because I can liken an infant to a bird with growing
feathers, while an adolescent is like a bird with full feathers. While
the former found comfort in the nest with less stress, the latter sought
after vivacity by soaring, which makes it more vulnerable in the sight
of predators.
The opening quotation was used to
epitomize the naiveness and audacity of an infant, It also exemplify
the attitude of the society towards childmind. When you take a look, the
infant dreams of preying on doves when he grows up. That's a big dream!
But
the spirit of the dove wont let the child rest. In other words, the
infant is not left alone in the decision. There is a mind control
mechanism. If he wont stop dreaming about eating doves when he grows up,
he wont even grow up to catch one, lest preying on it.
However, what an infant might have been scolded for, when an adult tries it, it may be a lash galore.
Which
means the dilemma of an infant is pardonable but that of an adult is
not. The bottom line is, let the society pick up a better interest in
our adolescents too, and we shall witness lots of positive changes. Lets
not leave the unsure youths to wander.
*Written by✍🏾Maiyaki Abubakar Damilare [MAIYAKI]*
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