The time spent with your family is more precious and fulfilling than hours on laptops, cell phones, or video games. In a subtle way, our elders pass on wisdom and traditions. With siblings, we learn the power of unity and healthy competition.
In today’s technologically dominated era, people find themselves deeply engrossed in the external world, making it challenging to reconnect with their inner essence. The repercussions of this technologically inclined disposition have exacerbated the erosion of humane sentiments, subsequently contributing to social disintegration and the weakening of familial bonds. Every other person is hostage to a pseudo-busy life, with no definite point of return. This enigma has been detrimental to candid familial bonds. One needs to draw a clear boundary for spending his time; otherwise, your family will always get the leftovers, which they in no way deserve.
Someone once said you should never let yourself feel that you ought to be at work when you’re with your family, and you should never feel that you ought to be with your family when you’re at work. That’s a great perspective. If you and your family can figure out and agree on how much time you should spend together and protect those times, you should be able to adopt that mindset.
We all recognize that it is impossible for a plant to grow without sunshine, soil, and water. Similarly, we cannot thrive in this world without our family; it is an indispensable and crucial aspect of our existence. Our family members uniquely fulfill our physical, social, and emotional needs through their care, love, and compassion. “Being a family means you are a part of something very wonderful. It means you will love and be loved for the rest of your life.”
Having said all this, it will be unbecoming if I don’t define family here. A family can be described as a group of individuals with unbreakable bonds of blood relationships. The nuclear family comprises a father, a mother, and their children. An extended family expands to include grandparents, aunts, uncles, and sometimes other relatives. In a joint family system, several married brothers share the same roof with their parents and children.
However, beyond this verbal definition, our family plays a much more profound role. It is the most influential force shaping our life and personality, providing security and unconditional love. It serves as a support system in difficult times, a source of comfort in an uncertain world, and a God-given cushion shielding us from life’s ups and downs. One’s active participation in a family imparts crucial life values such as devotion, sharing, caring, character, honesty, and sincerity. As we draw advice and inspiration from elder family members in shaping our futures and choosing our careers, people from blessed families act like social banks. They gather happiness, successes, and challenges, similar to how money is stored in a lively endeavour.
Even Friedrich Nietzsche said, “In family life, love is the oil that eases friction, the cement that binds closer together, and the music that brings harmony.”
Now, let’s address the central theme of this article. Over time, technology has significantly impacted our lives, leading to a noticeable shift in the importance of family bonds. The virtual realm has deeply penetrated the inner psyche of modern individuals, giving rise to a situation where the saying holds true: “Twitter makes you think you’re wise, Instagram that you are a photographer, and Facebook that you have friends.” Unfortunately, these virtual connections often lack significance in real family dynamics. Despite having hundreds of friends on platforms like Facebook, individuals struggle to establish amicable connections with their own siblings, fathers, or mothers.
We’ve gradually isolated ourselves, prioritizing lifeless gadgets over human companionship. It is essential for us to confront this reality and temporarily distance ourselves from the virtual world. To initiate such a shift towards a more tangible reality, we must consciously prioritize genuine human interactions over our virtual engagement.
Allow me to pose a few questions. Are our family lives heading in the right direction? When did you last have a heart-to-heart conversation with your siblings? Do you communicate effectively with your parents, discussing activities and sharing dreams, and goals? How often do you call a grandparent, an uncle, or an aunt without any specific reason?
These questions prompt us to reflect on the quality of our familial connections. Since time waits for no one, while you may not currently value the time spent with your family, there will come a time when you’ll move away, growing in different directions like branches from the same tree. When you look back, you’ll cherish the family get-togethers, shared jokes, outings, and the support during crises.
To the younger generation, our society places great importance on family. Make eye contact, show interest in family discussions, have meals together, read together, play games, and prioritize family activities over digital distractions. The time spent with your family is more precious and fulfilling than hours on laptops, cell phones, or video games. In a subtle way, our elders pass on wisdom and traditions. With siblings, we learn the power of unity and healthy competition.
Islam, like many religions, values family ties. According to Islamic teachings, the family is the foundation of human society, providing a secure, healthy, and nurturing environment. The best place to develop virtues such as love, kindness, cooperation, mercy, and compassion is within a family. In a Hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari, Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said, “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him uphold his family ties.”
Tailpiece: I am reminded of Allama Iqbal, who said, “For the heart, the rule of machines is death; devices crush the feeling of compassion.”
The writer is a teacher and can be reached at nk*************@***il.com