Changing minds through understanding minds, NEW STRAITS TIMES-.

(From Worldsources (English))

URL: http://www.emedia.com.my/

NOT too long ago, my friend and I watered an orchid plant enthusiastically hoping to see a bud open, and its flower bloom. Every day, we religiously watered the plant, and when the bud opened, we were all smiles. The next day, the newly opened flower fell off its stem, and one flower after another followed suit until only one miserable flower remained on the lonely plant. What had we done wrong?

An orchid enthusiast listened patiently to how we had lovingly watered our orchid plant to death and explained what had gone wrong. Apparently, orchids are plants which survive well in arid terrain. They need very little water, a lot of heat and, most importantly, attention.

Thinking we knew better about the orchid's needs, we had unwittingly ended up drowning the plant. These days, when little understanding to the needs of a situation is given, day-to-day disasters occur all around us.

My daily clinical practice is full of emotional casualties in the shape of children who have been hauled in by their parents for bad behaviour, and failure to do homework and get better grades.

Helpful advice by well meaning friends encourage parents to beat their children to get higher marks. "Only when I beat my son will he work harder and get above 90," remarked a convincing local "world authority" on child care.