Why so pensive...?

As a child, I would love to hear the word "pensive" from others but wasn't knowing the exact meaning then. My father trained me and my elder brother to refer the dictionary every time you hear a new word or you may just go through it and increase your vocabulary.

I liked the idea and followed his advice. 

I used to read more of dictionary and less of other books. It was here my father corrected me. He said - "If you do not read, your stock of words is of no use. They will pile-up in your brain and rot. So, put them to good use. Think on a good topic; write on it and let the words flow freely."
Thinking and writing were new to my senses, but I worked on it. 

I failed on many occasions. 

But I forced my mind to think deeply. Thinking deeply made me realize the correct meaning of "pensive" - the word I always loved to hear. 

Years went by and I penned whatever thoughts came to my mind. Wrote them on paper. Destroyed them few days later because I wasn't able to relate thoughts poured on paper with thoughts running in the mind. 

But something appealed me. It was observing people in thoughtful mood while on a walk or visiting a garden. Those who appeared to be staring at something, but they actually weren't. 

They might be having millions of thoughts running in their mind. I tried to gauge or understand or assume what was running in their inside and expressed them in the form of poetry. 

I wrote hundreds of free form poems on various topics and leads. And I still do write. 

But can poetry ever answer this simple yet complex question - "Is it time for us elders to introspect ourselves, when little ones go deeply pensive?"

I am unable to find a convincing answer. Please do share your thoughts.

Sharing with this post - photo of my daughter - Chinmayee, captured during her Uncle's wedding.