Village life taught me to hit pause, cherish humanity

By Pallavi Sahu
Life is simple, yet enriching. It has limitations, but there’s joy in its simplicity. I have been silently observing these nuances of daily life, while staying in a village for the last few months.
Here, the air fills with uncontrollable laughter during charcha hours (time when people sit together to discuss various issues) around a peepal tree.It might have witnessed the lifetime journey of innumerable people. It’s so unlikely in our city lives, where, unfortunately, we do not get time to talk even to our neighbours. Such gatherings reflect the beauty of strong social support -- where noone feels left out. One can feel the air filled with peace here, birds chirping early in the morning, lush green trees all around, lush green fields with seasonal crops, a crystal-clear sky with picturesque patterns everywhere. Here, dawn-dusk-mid-day-night- are all the same. It’s so peaceful and quiet that one can hear his/her own voice. It is true what people say about the soul of India living in itsvillages.
Even a child’s behaviour changes, the moment he sets foot in a village. It pleasantly surprised me. He no longer needs to be pushed, to go outdoors to play. In fact, it’s the opposite now – he doesn’t want to stay caged in. There are so many places for him to explore and so many homes to enter – without any prior notice – and indulge in home-made delights. Such welcoming people here are! It’s a learning experience for children.
Even food habits have changed and we have found pleasure in simple, regular homemade food. I feel relieved with this change – to see how a shift in environment has created a space where there is no need to push, to run.
It has given me another perspective – that children’s initial inclination towards gadgets starts due to boredom, loneliness, lack of friends to play with. Gadgets then become that opportunity to make friends, like posts to boost self-esteem and slowly but surely leads to children becoming dependent on them. The outdoors of a village has reversed this dependency.
These experiences over time have, once again, reinforced my belief that environmental factors play a vital role in the advancement and betterment of our lives.
(The writer is psychologist)