The playground

                                The school playground was the world for children at the local primary school. Most of their day was spent thinking about what they would play on the ground that day and the remaining, in playing that. Their adoration for the playground was not to be described in words, as the children would say. And it was not without cause, for even though there were other playgrounds, this was particularly special. One would say it was the soil of the playground that had magical properties that he would explain quite scientifically to others; it made children run faster and was softer on the knees. Another explained how it had exactly what was needed in the right amount and nothing more; anything more would be a sure waste of resources.  None of them had ever visited the other playgrounds or even thought of them, but they knew that none of them were even close to being as special as their playground.

                                Now the playground although not specifically divided, had a natural sense of separate regions because of the mud, grass, trees and other similar factors. In one region the soil was soft and in the other, not so much. One area was covered in trees while the other was open as the sky. In one corner were these amazing natural iron bars and poles just for the children to hang and play around and the children were ever so grateful and proud that only their playground had them. There were beautiful flowers in the east and tall dry grass in the west. There were huge hills in the north which only few brave children would climb, and when they came back down, they would tell stories of how it took them a quarter of the school recess just to climb those and how beautiful their playground looked from the top. All children knew the playground was theirs and that, they were from the playground.

                                At all times there were big boys, small boys, big girls and small girls on the playground. Everybody would play their own favourite game or do their own favourite thing. On a similar day, a boy busy playing his own game strayed away in his thoughts and looked at the other side of the ground. As he looked far away into a place he must have very rarely gone to on the playground, a thought occurred in his head. “Surely the area I play in is better than that, it has the perfect trees that I can climb on. In fact, it must be the best area on the ground.”, he thought. Thus, being ever so happy at this thought he went back to his game. Now it so happened, that a girl from the far away area of the ground happened to cross over to his side. Feeling strongly possessive of his area, the boy refused to let her play and a strong argument broke out among the two children. As would seem natural, everybody gathered around and in the center were the two arguing parties. As the banter progressed, the boy would explain how his area is the best and the girl would counter, saying her area was the best. There seemed to be no end to this argument as both points seemed very valid indeed. Some big boys and some big girls stopped them and everyone went on to play their game. But now a strange feeling haunted the children. Surely their own area was the best, they thought.

                                As time passed, the arguments broke out frequently and now children from each region formed a team of their own. Some children were sad to see their close friends in the other team but such were the rules of the playground and nothing could be done.

                                The games now became a competition among the teams. Each team would try to prove their region was the best and each member was given value on how he performed in the games. As the games settled, a few strong teams naturally assumed the position of the playground leaders and had a say in what every other team did and had on the ground. Sometimes it would be fair and sometimes, not so much. As time passed, each team came to be defined from a particular region of the playground. New members on the playground would be given teams based on how well they played in the games. The stronger teams would select the stronger members and the weaker ones had to settle with who remained. The stronger teams would mostly win all the games. Sure, it made a few teams very sad but such were the rules of the playground and nothing could be done.

                                All children knew the playground was theirs but one area of that playground was theirs first and they belonged to it.  Doing something for their region gave team members a sense of belonging and a sense of being important. Hence, doing something for your region made more sense than doing something for the playground. The playground was always going to be there. High valued members of any team now felt more important because someone else was less important than them. It all made perfect sense and such were the rules of the playground.

                                Time passed yet again and new members became old members. Some newer new members would often ask questions to the new old members as to why they were not allowed to join the other teams with their friends. And often this led to a very important discussion in the team that would always conclude in some vicinity of the old members explaining their utmost adherence to the rules of the playground. The children still knew their playground was special; the flowers in the east and the grass of the west and the huge hills of the north made their playground the best there is, though only a few children were allowed to visit all these areas freely. Everyone knew that such were the rules of the playground and nothing could be done.

                                One fine day, a strange idea was tossed by the newest member of a team. “I want to join my friends and form a new team.”, he exclaimed. The old members were surprised but could not really counter his wild proposition. Of course, there were the rules of the playground but, what were the rules of the playground? Having become old members from being new members once, they never really knew themselves. All they knew that they were important because they had done something for their region. And so, it came to pass. The new members asked confusing yet somehow completely plausible questions of the old members and they being unable to satisfactorily answer them, the old teams were overthrown. This new idea of freedom was the talk of the playground. Anybody could form their team or have no team at all. Suddenly the southern team could visit the northern hills and the grass children could smell the flowers of the east. A few old members now remained in the shadow of the new ideas, never really accepting them because such were never the rules of the playground and how could anything be done against them!?

 

EPILOGUE

                                A new team having a member from each separate team was formed and appointed the leading team of the playground to avoid or settle possible future arguments. The playground saw radical changes; the boy who refused to let the girl play in his area now played with her. Everything was peaceful and joyous. And yet there was something missing. That sense of being so important or belonging to something was fading among the children, because everyone now belonged to their playground again. “How can someone be more important if no one is else is less important than him?”, they thought. However, despite of all this, the playground evolved. New games were invented and new flowers were planted and new trees were climbed. The children knew their playground was special.

                                Many small boys and girls became big boys and girls during this evolution. None of them had visited other playgrounds but they knew that none of them were even close to being as special as their playground. But maybe, just maybe, if they knew of children from the other playgrounds or even of their existence, it would all make sense.