The White Hindu
Do you like my upworthy-style title? I’m not great at writing enticing titles, but those upworthy titles really do work. They get you to the page, anyway. But seriously, I do fully believe that you are going to get a lot out of this simple exercise I learned in SES.
Whenever you see anyone or interact with anyone, I want you to say a word in your head.
If you see someone who is a lady who is older than you, you’re going to think: Mother.
If you see a lady who is around the same age as you, you’re going to think: Sister.
If you see a little girl, you are going to think: Daughter.
If you see an older man, you are going to think: Father.
If you see a man around the same age as you, you’re going to think: Brother.
If you see a little boy, you are going to think: Son.
This is remarkably transformative. It sounds so simple, but it can have a huge effect on how you see the world. Indian society already has this somewhat built in, as you call your parents’ peers Aunty and Uncle. But how often do you say those words with a real awareness of what they indicate? That person is family.
We don’t always get along with our family. We don’t always agree with things our family says or believes. It’s okay to be frustrated or angry with family. But there is almost always also love there. Even a child whose mother tried to poison her to cover up her own crimes feels conflicted because she both hates and loves her mother at the same time. It takes a lot to break the bond of love with family.
When you think sister as you pass that young lady on the street, your affection for her will swell and you will hope for her well being. When you think son as a little boy in a store has a meltdown, you feel sympathy and love.
This exercise, in my experience, softens the way that you interact with people and brings a whole lot of good will and love into your life.
Give it a try. Let me know what you find!
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