BENGALURU: She wove her words into countless stories for the young and old, and her works evoke a sense of nostalgia to readers across the world with their rustic charm. On Saturday, educator, author and philanthropist Sudha Murty shared her insights by interacting with a group of 75 school children and teachers at a meet and- greet session organised at Sapna Book House in Rajarajeshwari Nagar.
During the session, she spoke about the importance of books, education and adopting a simple lifestyle. The most important advice Murty had for the children was to be happy with whatever they had. “If you are simple, life will be easy. More the expectations from life, greater will be the disappointments,” she says. There’s no end to materialistic desires.
And Murty feels that while there can be so much we want to possess, it’s equally important to be happy with whatever we have. “Demanding for more from your parents is not advisable, they are already giving you all they have. And as a parent, you should refrain from doing things you don’t expect your child to do,” she advises. Murty strongly feels success depends on the way one conceives it and could be different for each individual depending on the stage they are in life.
“During childhood, the goal is to get an A+, then it is to get into a good college, and then it is to find your dream job. And then your goal changes to finding a perfect partner. There is no end to this list. But what you can do is be happy amidst all of it,” she says. This is why the ‘letting-go’ attitude will help keep stress away. “Be it financial, emotional, or psychological; difficulties are a part and parcel of life. I move on thinking that this too shall pass.
If you always want things to go your way, there will be nothing but suffering,” she says. Author of nearly 40-plus books in both English and Kannada, she takes ‘utmost care’ when writing for children. “When writing for little minds, I choose words wisely. Their minds are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression,” she says.
Addressing the increasing screen time among children, Murty feels it better to give children a basic phone until he/she learns the skill of self-control. She also shares tips on how to help children inculcate reading habits instead of being glued to screens. “Parents should also read for one hour every day or at least three hours a week. That will help children pick up the habit as well.
Avoid creating an image of ‘selfie mummy and Google daddy’ in front of your children,” she quips. The septuagenarian, who authored her first book when she was 28, believes that one should start writing when young. “Sensitivity helps you to write better. Write it all down and give your thoughts a home. But do not publish it immediately. Give yourself and your work some time,” she says.