Monday, February 25, 2013

Anjali - On Why Those Who Love Us Shout At Us

This was a bit too much for me. Anjali and her Mom are at each other everyday, being the strong headed women that they both are. Anjali's pet grouse is that her Mom shouts at her 'all the time, in the morning and evening blah blah blah'. But today while travelling in the car with me she was all praise for her Mom and the wonderful Barbie she got her. I listened intently to Anjali's wide eyed praise when the conversation took a curious turn.

'But we both fight so much with each other,' she ruminated in an amused manner as she looked out of the car window.
Realising that perhaps there was something here, I asked her how it is that they fight so much but still her Mom buys her all those Barbies etc.
'Because she loves me the most,' said Anjali simply.
'But how can you fight and love at  the same time?' I asked.

Anjali turned towards me, put on her school teacher tone when she figures I am asking stupid questions, and explained.
'Nanna, see. You will shout at someone only if you love them na. If I am doing something wrong, only then Mamma will shout at me na. Why will she shout at me if she doesn't love me?'
That was pretty intense stuff for me. Anjali was cool about it all and pretty amused about it all.

'But you and I don't fight so much,' I protested trying to get some attention back to me. 'Does that mean we don't love each other?'
Anjali had an answer for that.
'Arre, we love each other so much,' she said. 'But we don't shout because you tell me normally na.'

For all that shouting, one thing is pretty clear. Anjali's list starts with her Mamma.
Me, I come a distant second.

2 comments:

Rajendra said...

Volume of communication is the key here. Women like large amounts, good or bad. So you can't compete.

Harimohan said...

I guess we find it out the hard way.