Daisy learns a lesson

“Mummy! I want that ice cream!” Daisy was begging her mom to buy her an ice cream. “No Daisy! You just bought the Popcorn tub. Nothing more for you.” Her mom was scolding her. Daisy and her mom had come out for shopping. It was Daisy’s summer vacation. Daisy studied in the fourth grade. She was a naughty and a stubborn girl. She always wanted all her demands to be fulfilled immediately. Her mom and dad had to reason with her several times. But, she was adamant and grew more stubborn with time. “No Mummy! Please buy me that ice cream. Please! I won’t ask for anything else after that.” She continued begging her mom. Daisy started wailing loudly and a few passersby started staring at her. Daisy knew that this was a good way to attract attention. Her mom was getting upset with her tantrums and she was also feeling embarrassed because of her daughter’s behavior. “You stubborn girl! Stop crying immediately! Let’s get your ice cream. But, no more demands after that.” Her mom finally relented. Daisy bought the new choco pista cake ice cream and her mom quietly paid the bill to the cashier. Her mom wished that somehow her daughter would not trouble her so much. She wished that she would grow up to be an obedient and a well-mannered girl.

As Daisy was eating her ice cream, an old carrying a gunny bag passed them. She was wearing an old sari and it was patched in several places. Her faces had several wrinkles and she was walking with a bent back. Most of the people ignored her or gave her a disgusting look. It was as if some people did not exist for the society. The old lady went to the garbage bin and started fumbling inside. “Look Mummy! That old lady is searching something in the garbage bin! Yew!” Daisy said as she and her mother looked on. The old lady took out a half-eaten sandwich from inside the garbage bin and put it inside her gunny bag. “Mummy! Why is the old lady keeping the sandwich in her bag?” Daisy asked innocently to her mother. Her mom’s eyes were filled with tears as she answered “My child! I think she is hungry.” She immediately took out 50 rupees note from inside her purse and handed it to the old lady. Seeing the old lady eating from inside the garbage bin made Daisy feel slightly guilty for her behavior.

As they walked on, Daisy came across a Toy store. She again started troubling her mom. “Mummy! Please buy me this Barbie!”. “Daisy! I bought a new Barbie for you only last week. No more toys for you!” Daisy was just planning to throw a tantrum once again when a little girl about half her size passed them carrying a basket on her head. She was selling small clay and plastic toys. Daisy saw her and immediately fell silent. “Mummy! Why is this little girl selling toys? Our teachers have said that child labor is illegal.” Daisy asked curiously to her mom. “Daisy, my child not all children are born lucky. There are thousands of children in our country who must earn the bread for the rest of their family members. They do not get opportunities for good education or to wear good clothes. They have to toil hard their entire lives just to feed themselves twice a day.” Daisy did not pester her mom for the toy anymore. They both finished their shopping and returned home.

After returning home, Daisy went into her room. Her mom went to the kitchen to prepare the dinner. After a couple hours, her mom went to her room to call her for the dinner. When she entered the room, she saw Daisy was packing all her toys, new clothes, and comic books into cartons. “Daisy, my child, what are you doing?” her mom asked her lovingly and fondling her hair. “Mummy! I am packing all my toys, comics and clothes to give them away!” Daisy answered. “Why would you want to do that my child? Whom are you going to give it to anyway?” her mom asked her curiously. “Mummy! I want to give them to the orphan children who live in the nearby Orphanage. I want them to get an equal opportunity as well. I am sorry for troubling you today, I will never do that again.” Saying this she jumped into her mother’s arms and started weeping. Tears started falling from her mother’s eyes as well. She thanked God that her child had learned a valuable lesson that day. “The gift of satisfaction and the joy of sharing with others is what makes us human. May God bless you my dear child.” her mother embraced her lovingly and thanked the lord for showing her child the right path.

The End