Through the eyes of a grandmother

It's all in the eyes of Maria Modig, eminent Swedish writer, who on a life-affirming observation, has had a look over the insights and outward feelings of a child's sound growth in her book 'Att vara med barnbarn' (To Be With Grand Children).
The eyes, I would rather like to say, are the windows to the soul: but when Maria Modig looks into a child's eyes as well as psyche, she sees much more. These are everything in the world of a child that is of its own. It connects its day-to-day life, its leisure', its pleasures, its pains, its philosophy, its travels, its feelings, its observations, its humours and what not.
Maria Modig has gained her three-phase experiences over the mindset of a child, since to be a grandmother is the chance for one to be experienced with the third generation outlook in one's life. A grandparent is one who has insights of being a child of three generations as it connects his/her own childhood, childhood of his/her own child, and, finally, that in his/her own grandchild.
Maria Modig is the lucky one who is now a grandmother. And we the readers are luckier as by this time we could be in touch with her philosophising world with her grandchildren through her book of such critical observation. This is a collection of tips, observations and reflections to be with children and over accompanying them, on the part of parents, grandparents and other relatives as well.
When Maria Modig was simply asked why she had attempted to write such a book, her answer was: 'To understand what is to live what life is about. So that is why I write this book as part of life, build reflections to coming generations. In this case, it is for grandchildren and others' grandchildren.'
It is enough to be familiar with the philosophy of Maria Modig, who has eight other books on different literary genres to her credit. In her writings she believes that writing is about how to survive and come back to live a life and love, that is, if you love too. And that is enough, I should say.
Stockholm based publishing company Hjalmarson & Hogberg launched the book at the restaurant Hatam at Kammakargatan at a simple ceremony last week. Writers, journalists and publishers who graced the occasion included Hjalmarson & Hogberg's Lars Hjalmarson, Syrian poet Faraj Bayrakdar, Iran-born Swedish writer Azar Mahlojian, Maria's husband, also a poet, Jonas Modig, journalist Rondag Erlina Magpaung, Turkish journalists Murat Kuseyri, Shrivan Nuray Sarikaya, poet Roffe Aggestam and others.
In the 200-page book in Swedish, Maria presented a good many tips, reflections and observations for helping a child's sound growth beyond lands and cultures. It is a necessary book for grandparents, parents and other relatives who are luckily in touch with children. This book can also be an attraction for expecting parents too. It is urgent for new parents, grandparents and other relatives in the present generation and future generations to settle some basic questions to ensure happiest times all around a child.
The book deals with the minds of children, dreams all around them and the future vis-a-vis a happy ending for everyone. Child philosophy as well as child psychology is a high-concept, it-could-go-anywhere idea taken down an interesting route. Consequently it is interesting and life-inspiring. Maria Modig could do it successfully as she herself nurses a childlike mindset in her always and I find it seldom in the people all around us, either in my land Bangladesh or Sweden or elsewhere in the world.
It is to be expected that the reading public will have the chance to go through the book in their respective mother languages; its translation in different languages is necessary to attain the goal set by the talented Maria Modig. The book deserves to be well circulated and promoted accordingly to the readership in the world at large. It is not impossible anyway, is it?

Anisur Rahman, a journalist, writes from Sweden.