Learning with the Mother

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH PLEASURE AND WHY?

On another day during the class, the Mother decided to ask each child what they did with pleasure and why. I recorded the proceedings in my notebook. I later made a fair copy of them and showed it to Her. She made some minor corrections. This would be interesting for the readers as well as for the children who are now grownups but still have contact with the Ashram.

Mother: Tell me what do you do with pleasure and why?

Madhusudan: I box with pleasure, because one has force in the hand, and when someone hits me, I can defend myself. And I can hit back good blows.

Bharati: I come to this class with pleasure because I learn a great deal here.

Namita: I hear stories with pleasure.

Mother: Who tells you these stories that you hear with pleasure?

Namita: Charu Dutt.

Mukul: Playing cricket, because its very interesting.

Mother: In two years, I will ask you if you play well.

Mukul: Yes I will play well.

Norman: Playing football.

Mother: In two years you will let me know if you are a good player.

Kalyani: I like reading.

Mother: What kind of books?

Badol: I want to be a good boy.

Mother: Why?

Badol: Because you would like (that).

Mother: What kind of things would you like to do?

Badol: I will do many things that you will like.

Mother: One must be conscious of what one wants to do.

Every evening you must aspire to become a good boy. Every morning when you wake up, again you must think of it.

Usha: I like your class.

Mother: Do you understand what I say?

Usha: Sometimes I can’t.

Mother: You must concentrate well then you will understand.

Bhai: I like playing Cricket.

Ranganath: I like Science.

Mother: Which Science?

Ranganath: Botany.

Mother: When you study well you will get beautiful books of Botany, and a herbarium too if Sunil says you are working well.

Indravadan: I like Mathematics and Botany.

Mother: Then you will get a herbarium if you work well.

Laxman: I like basketball.

Mother: But you are too short to score a basket.

Ashamanju: I like very much Meccano.

Mother: Do you have a set?

Ahsa: No.

Mother: (turning to Tara) Write a Meccano for him.

Subodh: I like Tennis.

Mother: Here we have a new champion! Nobody mentioned Tennis...If you want to play well, you must learn well, with a lot of care. When you have learned to play well, I will make you play.

Anup: I like Table-tennis.

Mother: Have you learnt to play well?

Anup: Yes.

Mother: Would you like to play better still? (Anup says nothing) Well then, go along and play Table­tennis.

Ibha: I like drawing.

Mother: That is good. You will get lovely notebooks once you have learnt to draw well. Who is your teacher?

Ibha: Krishanalalji.

Mother: I will tell him to give you a notebook when you have learnt to draw well.

Anil: I like toffees because they are sweet.

Mother: You will get them shortly.

Subhash: I like football.

Chitra: I like stories.

Mother: Those that you read, or those that you hear?

Chitra: Both.

Mother: What kind of stories?

Chitra: The Adventure stories.

Mother: Who recounts these stories?

Chitra: You.

Mother: I do not tell you many stories.

Priti: I like dolls because they are interesting.

Mother: How do you play with your dolls?

Ajji: I read with pleasure story-books in English.

Mother: Which is the last book you have read?

Ajji: “The King and His Parrot”.

Hema: I like stories.

Madhu: I’d like to come to you every morning.

Mother: Then do come every morning.

Offering a gift to the Mother during the birthday celebration