Three Musketeers: Connect Before You Correct Them ?

When you go to a jogging park in the morning, what do you see generally. Regulars are doing their routine in a systematic way, some do exercise in a relaxed comfortable way, some will just gossip away the exercise time. How about the teens? They are sent to the park by their parents, to do some running and probably in the hope that they will not while away their time while getting some exercise and fitness.

 

 

So, what these teens do when they come to park? They are yet to inculcate self-discipline. More so when they are in group, it is all fun and frolic and then they go back and report to parents that they have done the exercise. Parents feel happy.

 

Here comes the fun part. One day I was walking on the track in the jogger’s park, in the observant mode. I found three teenagers just sitting on the bench working on their mobiles while sitting on the bench.

 

I did not say anything. May be that they are tired, must have done two or three rounds of park, so I thought. Next day, probably my timing and their timing was matching, I found them walking slowly and slowly on the track. One of them was keen to jog, others were pressing him not to jog but to walk only with them.

 

Another day, I found them sitting on the bench again. I just asked them why they were not jogging. They gave me a surprised look though one of them paid attention to me and went for a jog.

 

I realised my mistake. What was that mistake?

 

Another day, I picked up the conversation with them, generally on the school, classes, how they are doing, what their parents expect from them. I did not tell them to do some exercise.

 

For about a week the same story repeated. I interacted with them but did not suggest them to do any exercise. It happened many times.

 

Once , I invited them for Coconut water also which they gladly consumed and thanked me profusely .

 

After about a week, when I reached at park, they were waiting for me.

 

“Can we walk with you?”

 

“Yes please. But I generally do walk only, I am not that young and, in your age, you should jog or probably sprint because you have so much strength.”

 

“Uncle, we will do that also but first we will walk with you for two rounds and then we will run, you can check our running also, they were giving a smile to me.”

 

This routine continued for 15 days and I got used to it.

 

Slowly and slowly, this group increased and now all of them started waiting for me at the park.

 

It became the talking point in the park .

 

I felt quite happy. The thought was that I was making positive contribution.

 

So, one day I asked one of the boys “In the beginning, when I was asking you to jog, except one nobody was keen to do and now this group is increasing in numbers automatically. What is the reason?”

 

“Uncle, we did not know you, you did not know us, so once you told us to jog, the only thought which came to our mind was that why are you disturbing us, now when you tell us to do anything, the first thought which comes to our mind is that since you are telling us to do that, it must be good for us.”

 

I think that is the lesson this blog is intended for.

 

“Connect before you correct.”

 

Hope you have taken the lesson.

 

@allthingsbrightandbeutiful @lifeisgood