The screening of a documentary about Bilma Desert, an African Al-Sahara, and life of the residents there affected me very much. It was all the picture of the past. There was also a small village replete with hardworking residents. Adam, a teenage child also lived in the same village. Adam’s father, whose wrinkled and tan face made him look too much hard-working, was a businessman. The businessmen of Bilma were taking long journeys by camels to get salt from a part of the desert so as to sell them in the villages and malls. They were suffering a lot during their long journeys in the hot desert of African Al-Sahara. At night, during the journey, to take care of their camels better, they were walking for long hours rather than riding camels. Moreover, making salt in the shape of bricks and packing them were not easy job either. Almost, many of the villagers were finding food this way. In short, the villagers were leaving no stone unturned to make the ends meet.
This time, Adam also went to the journey with his father to taste the bittersweet moments of the journey and to learn the techniques of the business. Likewise, he went to fight the challenges and difficulties in the hot desert of Bilma. Their journey was as long as six months. During the journey, I was impressed greatly by the iron determination of this child. He was walking for long hours in the desert like a strong man rather than like a child that was his fast time.
During the journey, Adam wished he himself had a camel. Adam also wished that if he grew older, he would buy camels and follow his father’s job. Going to such a journey was one of the Adam’s wishes. It was a common tradition amongst the villagers that when the businessmen were returning from the journey to the village, they were supposed to throw dates - they were to buy from a small bazaar-like village on their way - to the children of the village as souvenir when they were greeted with the cheers and happiness of the children. This scene touched me greatly when the old mother of Adam was watching her child with the tear of happiness. Her son who was amongst the children last year collecting dates, this year he was throwing dates to his playmates and it was a nice surprise!
Along with the hardships that they suffered in their life, the documentary teaches many more lessons. There are many psychological messages in this show. Psychologists say that the man of future is the reflection of his present dreams and imaginations. In other words, one’s characters will take shape according to her/his imagination and people will be the same as they imagine themselves. Adam who wished to take journey and imagined to give souvenirs to his playmates reached his imagination and took a prosperous journey. Now, he wishes more and more and, undoubtedly, his imagination will change in reality one day the same as his journey.
Secondly, this documentary shows close and sincere relationship amongst the villagers. As a result, when they return from a trip they bring souvenir for their village people. Likewise, the greeting of the villagers is the symbol of kindness and cultural values. No doubt, honest and sincere contacts still prevail among the simple people of the villages.
In addition, this documentary teaches that parents must not express too much kindness to their children. Furthermore, psychologists also consider too much kindness to children a great harm to their future. If they be sympathized too much by their parents, they will grow lazy in the future. Therefore, their parents should give them responsibilities by asking to do some tasks, no matter how much small the tasks are. It is only to give them a sense of responsibility otherwise extreme favor to children does more harm than good.
In addition those who live in slums will have to struggle to the best of their abilities to alleviate economic strains. Moreover, this is the only way that they can choose for legal earnings. It is no doubt that mostly the criminals come from slums and poor families; however, there are also lofty individuals with high ambitions who can be a role model for others as Adam. Choosing the wrong way was also possible for Adam, but he was too moral to adopt that way.
The moral deed of Adam also goes to his parents. This proverb is said truly that ‘an apple does not fall far from the tree’ which means that the children mostly go after their parents. Of course, home is the very first environment which puts its impact on children whether positive or negative. If the people who live in the environment are characterized with moral standards and religious values, certainly put moral and positive impacts on children while the opposite is otherwise.
In addition, the care and attention of parents also play the best role in training the children. As parents, they have to shoulder some more responsibilities for better training. For example, parents should pay attention on the playmates of their children and encourage them for their good playmates and discourage them for the opposite. Furthermore, they should not only advise the children but also guide them the right things. In other words, some children will mind dos and don’ts and should be guided tactfully.
Moreover, too much scolding will spoil the children as well. When children are involved in sinful acts, psychologically, scolding or punishing too much will make them more stubborn than to correct them. When once a serious tone is used to make them understand of illegality of their action will suffice. However, with the repetition of the same action a slight punishment will not be bad for the children above the age of seven. Those children who are above the age of fourteen, physical punishment is not advised at all. Even the teenagers mind dos and don’ts, they have to be said tactfully and it is better to behave with them respectfully that our attitude put their wrongdoings under question and they feel shy by our action rather than our words.