Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Holidays

Vasu Reddy From Chicago

It is the middle of summer, and it has been a mild one in Chicago. We had a great winter and a pretty good spring, and the summer is going pretty good so far. Things are sort of normal for those of us living here and there is no excitement beyond the normal summer stuff around here. The taste of Chicago (although canceled for one day), lake shore and beaches of Chicago, the many museums and the tall buildings (except a small break in one of the sky deck viewing windows) and many of the normal activities of the city are just about normal as is the weather and forecast for the rest of the summer. This city is wonderful and just about predictable for its seasonal changes, although the weather forecasters keep saying that things can change very quickly in Chicago, they simply mean that the weather can change quite dramatically in the windy city. As predictable as the city and its inhabitants are and as unpredictable the weather patterns of the city are, everything else is quite the same year over year. Outside of the gangs of Chicago, the rest of the folks are quite domesticated and have very little action outside of an occasional traffic ticket. We the people of greater Chicago and its suburbs are quite far away from any real action that the rest of the world is experiencing in the summer of 2014.

The kids have been home for the summer holidays and they still have about a month or so before they begin the next school year. Life is boring for them even if they are not busy for a few minutes, and finding activities for them through the summer is as difficult as one can possibly imagine. All things said and written the summer it self is just the same as other summers here, and will be an uneventful one for 2014.

The rest of the world seems to be in turmoil, specially the middle east is in constant state of tensions. The children seem to be caught in the cross fire of people waring against each other and most times with their own folks. The news is graphic and constantly showing the images of battles and carnage, and summer of 2014 for the children in the war (not sure of these are war zones, but lack of better phrase) seem to be caught without their summer activities for the year. No one is giving them a break for the year to enjoy the street games and ice cream and the beaches and parks. Their adults seem to be in a state of war and no one is bothered about schools or holidays. It just is incredibly sad to see them miss out the whole summer without just hanging out with their friends and families.

It is just not the children but their folks are also missing out the activities of summer of 2014. There is no end to the running away from carnage, and no one seem to care about learning and fun for the young ones. Hey guys what about the children? I am sure everything people are fighting for is for a reason they believe in, but hey folks its the kids we work, live and die for, and we have forgotten that they are missing out on being children and whatever you aspire for yourselves is not really looking at the little ones and their future. You are really taking away the fun from the young ones and along with them their families also are missing out the fun of being parents, grand parents and brothers and sisters and cousins and friends; and a whole lot more. If the little ones are not able to have fun and enjoy the summer, then what ever that their countries are aspiring for is for no reason or no cause. The little ones are our future and whatever we do is for them, and looking at their faces should make us realize their aspirations.


We know that religion and traditions are a part and parcel of life, but children should come first while we observe the age old traditions. If not for them there is no need to aspire for Utopia. While life is just about normal in Chicago, we also have to look at the folks around the world and hope they have a just about normal summer, specially the little ones enjoying the fun of being little ones. Here is to world peace. Have great summer of 2014 everyone.

No comments:

The Inglorious Representation of Lord Rama

The Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago  https://htgc.org/HTGC/index.php and also more information is available at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki...