the gift of children

After having spent the last 3 days among thousands of villagers, because of the ceremonies, I couldn't help but notice the different way they seem to treat their children, then in the west. It is as though they are there to serve them. That they are a gift they have received and are very caring and careful to respond and treat them with love and attention. Oftentimes it even seems as though the child is the adult and the adult has been put there to serve the child. Anytime even the slightest sound of sadness or crying is heard, several adults will rush over to see if they can satisfy the childs' needs.

Yesterday while I was watching the gamelon players at the dance ceremony, I saw that one of my favorite gamelon players was sitting on the mat, with a little 2 year old daughter on his lap. It is as if an honor to have a child with you while you are playing, rather than a hindrance. Before I knew it, the music had begun and when I looked over at him playing the gong, I realized that his little niece was not only sitting on his lap while he played, but her tiny petite hand was being gently held by him as he kept a constant beat on the gong along with her. I realized that this is only one snippet of a kind of meditative peacefulness along with a good sense of rhythm that the Balinese have. It was so sweet seeing how without a word spoken they sat there and beat the gong together.

Another young 5 year old who I had seen playing the repetitive beat every few seconds on the  gong by himself for the entire 2 hour dance, came to sit with the orchestra but had tears in his eyes. One of the priests, possibly his father, was trying to console him and get him to forget his sorrows and play the gong as planned, but he was sad and uninterested. I continued to watch their interaction and slowly understood that possibly he had been scorched with hot water on his chest or been hurt there a few minutes ago, and was in pain. I wondered how I could possibly explain to them that I can do a healing on him. But no idea came to me. I just kept looking at the sad child remembering how usually his eyes are afire and he is so cute. Suddenly the idea arose that I don't have to be right next to him to heal him. I can do it from where I am sitting. So I sent him a healing for a few minutes, hoping it would work. Even though he had refused to play the gong and had been teary and sad already for 10 minutes, a few minutes after I finished sending the healing, I looked back at him and saw he was smiling and watching the dancers, and a few moments later was already back beating the gong as planned.

What is interesting is that in spite of this royal attitude towards the children, there is really no singling them out or making them into stars. They re just kind of like wise old folk that have been given as a gift to be cherished and respected by their new parents.