Mithas was talking animatedly to someone inside his room. He was telling him about the day’s happenings and was asking for advice. Well who was he talking to? His mom? His dad? His sibling? No, he was talking to sweet Bunny. His friend, caring brother and idol. Sweet Bunny is the imaginary character who provides all the emotional support Mithas needs and which hasn’t been given to him by his parents and others around. Mithas is the only son of his working parents. His father, a CEO, is home between 9pm and 9am, and his mother, a working executive, is home only post 6pm and leaves early at 8 am. They have arranged for a governess to take care of him, all of these factors have made him an introvert.
Many go through the experience of having an imaginary companion, be it a teddy bear that is forever there to give a big hug, or a pillow to talk to, and of course talking to the sky and so on so forth. It is quite amazing how and why children, teenagers and even adults see imaginary characters and relate to nonliving objects so intimately. Some of the reasons are very common to al the generations, loneliness and the feeling of being left out being the dominating ones. Most have friends, maybe good friends, but how many of them actually reveal everything about themselves to a particular person? Least of all their inhibitions about the other? Not many as they fear that they will offend their friend or bring a barrier between the two. Also the feeling that the other person might treat you differently, be it with more sympathy or look down on them, holds most back from opening themselves up.
In the case of Mithas, it was predominantly loneliness coupled with the want of love and care. He missed his parents and the things families did with each other. He was always pampered with toys, games, chocolates and so on. They thought that if he had most of these materialistic things he won’t miss them or their presence. But the yearning one has for a parent can only be felt and barely expressed, the closest one can get to describing it is, it is the feeling one gets while dropping from a great height and trying to grab on to something to break the fall. Mithas didn’t have many friends in school, even though he was exceptionally brilliant and talented. Those around him always used him and were what one can call “paper” friends. He had very few close friends, but was scared to open up as he didn’t want to be sympathised and pitied by them. They were the people he dint want to lose as he valued them very highly in his life.
Sweet Bunny ‘emerged’ into his life when he was in one of his ‘down’ moods. He had just watched Space Jam, the movie, and with Bugs Bunny being a big favourite, it struck him subconsciously. He woke up in the morning and found the bunny, with big ears and a squeaky voice, next to him. He was overjoyed to when he realized that he had a companion. He would fool around with him; pour his heart out to him, about girls, his feelings with regards to his studies and school. Here, Bunny helped him out. Basically it was his inner voice, his second being and the environment around coupled with his observations that had created this being.
In reality Mithas was dealing with the world on his own but thought it was the Bunny who solved the problems. The bunny was able to help him with his problems and made him shed his inhibitions. He became more confident about himself, and about dealing with life. In the course of time Mithas reached a stage where he had no more problems and started dealing with whatever cropped up on his own, which led to the fading of the Bunny. It was his creation and his sub conscious got rid of it eventually.
In the case of some children there may not be a Bunny but an Angelica. This figure has a resentful look at the world and this damages the child’s psyche. By the time he grows up, he would be full of hate and show antipathy towards everyone and everything. He would be a wreck and carnage around him with Angelica around for ever. It takes something dramatic to change this outlook.
The creation of these imaginary characters can be stopped and curbed if care is taken to ensure that no child is left on his own, feeling lonely and unwanted. Parents will have to play the central role, but it’s impossible to accomplish the job on their own in today’s world of nuclear families and work environment. The others around, like relatives and teachers, and the friends should be instrumental in moulding the life of the child. Playing pranks and teasing a person is one thing, while practical jokes and ridicule that cause a deep psychological impact and demoralization just because of jealousy or an ego clash is quiet another. A person should try not to inflict any hurt upon another, intentional or unintentional and if it happens, should own up and apologize. Not many remember the people who cracked jokes in the class, but those who caused pain and laughed at the other with condescension are always remembered.
“Take lives into your palms, feel it, hear it, then let it melt into you”
*Note: This post may seem like a semblance to the movie Doni Darko, but I have never seen the movie, hence I have not been inspired :D
Many go through the experience of having an imaginary companion, be it a teddy bear that is forever there to give a big hug, or a pillow to talk to, and of course talking to the sky and so on so forth. It is quite amazing how and why children, teenagers and even adults see imaginary characters and relate to nonliving objects so intimately. Some of the reasons are very common to al the generations, loneliness and the feeling of being left out being the dominating ones. Most have friends, maybe good friends, but how many of them actually reveal everything about themselves to a particular person? Least of all their inhibitions about the other? Not many as they fear that they will offend their friend or bring a barrier between the two. Also the feeling that the other person might treat you differently, be it with more sympathy or look down on them, holds most back from opening themselves up.
In the case of Mithas, it was predominantly loneliness coupled with the want of love and care. He missed his parents and the things families did with each other. He was always pampered with toys, games, chocolates and so on. They thought that if he had most of these materialistic things he won’t miss them or their presence. But the yearning one has for a parent can only be felt and barely expressed, the closest one can get to describing it is, it is the feeling one gets while dropping from a great height and trying to grab on to something to break the fall. Mithas didn’t have many friends in school, even though he was exceptionally brilliant and talented. Those around him always used him and were what one can call “paper” friends. He had very few close friends, but was scared to open up as he didn’t want to be sympathised and pitied by them. They were the people he dint want to lose as he valued them very highly in his life.
Sweet Bunny ‘emerged’ into his life when he was in one of his ‘down’ moods. He had just watched Space Jam, the movie, and with Bugs Bunny being a big favourite, it struck him subconsciously. He woke up in the morning and found the bunny, with big ears and a squeaky voice, next to him. He was overjoyed to when he realized that he had a companion. He would fool around with him; pour his heart out to him, about girls, his feelings with regards to his studies and school. Here, Bunny helped him out. Basically it was his inner voice, his second being and the environment around coupled with his observations that had created this being.
In reality Mithas was dealing with the world on his own but thought it was the Bunny who solved the problems. The bunny was able to help him with his problems and made him shed his inhibitions. He became more confident about himself, and about dealing with life. In the course of time Mithas reached a stage where he had no more problems and started dealing with whatever cropped up on his own, which led to the fading of the Bunny. It was his creation and his sub conscious got rid of it eventually.
In the case of some children there may not be a Bunny but an Angelica. This figure has a resentful look at the world and this damages the child’s psyche. By the time he grows up, he would be full of hate and show antipathy towards everyone and everything. He would be a wreck and carnage around him with Angelica around for ever. It takes something dramatic to change this outlook.
The creation of these imaginary characters can be stopped and curbed if care is taken to ensure that no child is left on his own, feeling lonely and unwanted. Parents will have to play the central role, but it’s impossible to accomplish the job on their own in today’s world of nuclear families and work environment. The others around, like relatives and teachers, and the friends should be instrumental in moulding the life of the child. Playing pranks and teasing a person is one thing, while practical jokes and ridicule that cause a deep psychological impact and demoralization just because of jealousy or an ego clash is quiet another. A person should try not to inflict any hurt upon another, intentional or unintentional and if it happens, should own up and apologize. Not many remember the people who cracked jokes in the class, but those who caused pain and laughed at the other with condescension are always remembered.
“Take lives into your palms, feel it, hear it, then let it melt into you”
*Note: This post may seem like a semblance to the movie Doni Darko, but I have never seen the movie, hence I have not been inspired :D
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