Let them Bloom

A Sultan decided to create a Garden Kingdom full of beautiful and fragrant flowers. He called his most trusted subjects and entrusted them with seeds. He named those seeds ‘blessings’. He told them to go and sow the seeds, nurture and protect them so that they may grow in to beautiful plants.

He sent them saying, “Let my garden bloom with beautiful flowers".

His subjects set out to various parts of the kingdom. They sowed the seeds the king gave them. Plants started growing. Some of the subjects were busy doing other things and did not give much attention and protection to the plants. They did not water or irrigate, prune or manure them. Some seeds were lost to birds and some to animals and still others to the weather. Their land was filled with weeds and wild plants.

At the same time, some of the subjects sowed the seeds after preparing the soil properly. They watered them and put barricades up for their protection. They thought of their Sultan everyday and his blessings. They worked hard to protect their plants. They were always alert, so that their plants may not be taken away by thieves, destroyed by weeds, animals or weather. They fed them with manure and watered them daily.

Their plants grew and blossomed with beautiful flowers. Their land became so fragrant that it was named ‘Paradise’. They realized that these were truly blessings, as their Sultan had once told them.

The fragrance of the flowers reached the palace and the Sultan set out to see his Garden Kingdom. Now you can very well imagine what would have happened to the both groups of subjects

Our children are our blessings. We have a responsibility to protect and nurture them to be fragrant and blooming flowers. They in turn will make our lives and society rich with blessings.

Today global boundaries are diminishing; distances seem to be a thing of the past. Virtual and digital worlds have grown exponentially. Coming generations need to be prepared to face the challenge of these new worlds and to grow and bloom in all kinds of environments. We as parents, or guardians,should be able to give them proper direction so that they are equipped with the knowledge necessary to survive and flourish.

Children living in islands, or near the sea, are aware of the dangers through the wisdom passed on by their parents or elders. Similarly, we should be aware of the dangers of the online or virtual worlds and protect our children from danger. Children are like sponges, which absorb all kind of liquids instantly. It is our duty to teach them what to absorb and what to discard.

This newsletter is a small step towards collectively keeping pace with the ever-changing online world. Together, as a community, we can ensure that our younger generation is safer,so their lives can be more fruitful.

This newsletter is an extension and initiative of the e-Safe vision: ‘To be a sustainable and globally recognized hub for child online protection by 2021’. Let’s embark on to this journey for our children and for a better tomorrow.