This conversation with Puttachi happened a couple of months ago.
Puttachi: Amma, I have a question.
Me: Bring it on.
Puttachi: When we say "I" or "me," what are we talking about? What is "naanu" (me)? Is it my head, or my face, or my body, or my heart, what is it?
What do I do when faced with a question I don't know how to answer? Throw it back at her, of course.
Me: What do you think, Puttachi?
Puttachi: (thinks) I think it is the face, Amma.
Me: But there are doctors who can perform surgery and change the way you look. If somebody changes my nose and my lips and my chin and my eyebrows, and gives me a new face, will I stop being Amma?
She: No! You will still be Amma. Then maybe it is the body.
Me: You know, there is a scientist called Stephen Hawking. He cannot move any part of his body, except a finger, through which he controls a computer, and he communicates through that. But his brain is very active. So what do you think?
She: Ohhh, then maybe it is the brain that is "me."
Me: Do you remember Doddamma Ajji? (S's grandmother, who had Alzheimer's.) She was very healthy, but she didn't know who we were. She didn't even know who she herself was. So does that mean she is not Doddamma Ajji?
She: Oh, Amma, then what is it? Maybe everything together is "me."
Me: Yeah, maybe, Puttachi.
And that is how we answer difficult questions around here.
Puttachi: Amma, I have a question.
Me: Bring it on.
Puttachi: When we say "I" or "me," what are we talking about? What is "naanu" (me)? Is it my head, or my face, or my body, or my heart, what is it?
What do I do when faced with a question I don't know how to answer? Throw it back at her, of course.
Me: What do you think, Puttachi?
Puttachi: (thinks) I think it is the face, Amma.
Me: But there are doctors who can perform surgery and change the way you look. If somebody changes my nose and my lips and my chin and my eyebrows, and gives me a new face, will I stop being Amma?
She: No! You will still be Amma. Then maybe it is the body.
Me: You know, there is a scientist called Stephen Hawking. He cannot move any part of his body, except a finger, through which he controls a computer, and he communicates through that. But his brain is very active. So what do you think?
She: Ohhh, then maybe it is the brain that is "me."
Me: Do you remember Doddamma Ajji? (S's grandmother, who had Alzheimer's.) She was very healthy, but she didn't know who we were. She didn't even know who she herself was. So does that mean she is not Doddamma Ajji?
She: Oh, Amma, then what is it? Maybe everything together is "me."
Me: Yeah, maybe, Puttachi.
And that is how we answer difficult questions around here.
7 comments:
Loved the conversation and the conclusion!
Loved the coversation!!!
Did I tell you that I simply love Puttachi posts?
You are doing an awesome job. Love to Puttachi :)
Haha! Excellent!! :D
Hah! You are so clever.
Thank you all!
Hugs to her, and tell her by her I mean all of her. :)
This is just so very wise!
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