Standing Tall: Lessons in Respect from a Five-Year-Old Cricket Fanatic

In the midst of the T20 Cricket World Cup chaos, with the living room transformed into a makeshift stadium, a new rule has been umpired by none other than my five-year-old: Stand up during the national anthem. Any anthem, every anthem. Whether it's the heart-pounding beats of India's "Jana Gana Mana" or the stirring melodies of Pakistan's "Qaumi Taranah," when those first notes hit, it's feet together, shoulders back, and eyes front in our household. It doesn’t matter which country is up to bat; in these moments, our living room becomes a mini-Olympics of respect.

This newfound ritual, courtesy of my kindergartener's decree, got me thinking about the broader strokes of respect and understanding, especially in this Pride Month. Much like how we stand for any anthem not out of deep-seated nationalism for each country but out of a simple and profound respect, this month asks us to stand in recognition and solidarity with all identities and expressions.

Here’s the thing: if a five-year old can grasp the importance of showing respect regardless of personal connection or understanding, surely we adults can tune our frequencies to the same channel. He doesn’t need to grasp the complex histories and politics behind each anthem; he hears the call to respect and responds with his whole little heart.

Drawing parallels to Pride, the lesson is crystal clear. It doesn't matter how much or how little we know about someone's journey or the flags they choose to fly. All that really matters is that we respond with respect, acknowledgment, and the dignity everyone deserves. Just as we don’t critique the musical scale of an anthem but simply stand up and pay heed, so too should we approach every expression of identity.

The simplicity of a child's perspective cuts through the often over-complicated adult approach to diversity and inclusion. This month, and every month, I plan to take a leaf out of my five-year-old’s playbook. To stand up—literally or metaphorically—as each anthem of identity and existence plays. If the commitment to respect comes so naturally to a child watching cricket, it's surely within the inning of possibility for us all.

So, the next time the anthems play, whether from a cricket stadium or during a Pride parade, remember the earnestness of a child standing in his living room. It's a small gesture, but sometimes, it's the small gestures that hit the grandest of slams.