We were on a campus. After a class, we planned to visit a temple that was about one hour away. We got ready and started walking towards the place where the cab would come. My kids were with me.
One of them jumped across a walkway to go close to Ullas. The second one followed and fell into the mud. When her legs got immersed in the mud, she lost balance and sat right in it.
I got angry. I called Ullas and said, “Let us cancel the trip and go back to the room to change the dress.” Hearing this, the younger one started crying, saying she still wanted to go to the temple. I kept asking, “Why did you follow your sister when I asked you not to?”
Seeing us, a student guided us to a nearby washroom, and we cleaned the dirt there. By then, Ullas called and asked, “Should we go?” I said, “Let’s go and buy sandals on the way.”
We went to the temple. But the younger one slept after the long cry.
Later, I reflected. I could have taken a photo of them in the mud and created a memory. I could have cleaned the dirt in a cheerful, playful way. I failed because I wanted the situation to be different from what it was.
If I had been present in the moment, I could have made it a beautiful memory and taught my kids that accidents happen, but we can come out of them gracefully.
I failed that day. But I will try to be more mindful in the future.
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