There is a neat little school.....
There is a neat little school by the river;
Where the palm trees keep swaying in summer;
Where birds keep chirping the whole live long day....
That's how our School Song began. We used to sing this song every Monday morning. I wanted to meet some of my school teachers yesterday. Set out to the school that has contributed significantly to my overall development. There was a familiar wave of excitement that I have felt the last time I stepped inside the portals of the school. I felt at least ten years younger... Note the at least!!!! :)
I don't know if a land surveyor or a supervisor would have looked around the place with such an interest... My eyes automatically scanned the school ground from one corner to another. My school has three grounds and while I was in school, it seemed very long stretch to cover and we used to feel very lazy to walk the entire stretch to attend classes. Yesterday, I had to roam the entire school stretch at least three times and I never felt the stretch to be long.
My pace quickened, the smile never faded. After a very long time, I remember my face had a stapled smile. Yeah, this is an after thought, as I write this post. I was smiling for two full hours :) Never happened in a long time. It felt nice to be loved the same way, as a school student by some of my teachers. Back in school, there were times when the same teachers were a total disappointment to the cheers of the students.. (or so it seemed then ). Now, thinking back, if it were not for some of their strict rules and the then seemingly pointless disciplinary actions, I am not sure, if I would be what I am today.
Awestruck, Surprised, and the generally happy me walked around the whole place and met some of my teachers. They just don't grow old... I wonder if it is to do with staying closely associated with children, but I was super amazed to see some of them, the same way, after twelve long years. Met one of my principals who is very old today. We have always respected her, but when she left school, I was not sure if and when I would meet her again. It was my dream all these years to meet her again. It was by chance that I came to know that she was in town and was counselling in the same school.
Went in to the neat and tidy, calm and quiet room. There are some people for whom you will feel like standing up even if it is midnight and you are fast asleep. This respected sister is one of them in my mind. The last I met her was in 1992. After 18 years, yesterday was quite an experience. We spoke discipline, trends, children, parenting, marriage, culture, prayers, old times, some whereabouts of fellow friends, each others' whereabouts, achievements, health care, career, moral science, academics, teenagers, television and society.
When I stood up to leave, she stood up, blessed me and a said a little prayer for me and my folks and wished me well. What I went through in my mind is quite difficult to put on paper, but what I can say for sure is, some people live for others and they are able to see life in a different angle. This respected sister had one parting shot thought for me and you : Be a beacon of light to those around you. Thinking about it now, my name also means the same.
Wonder if I have been able to live up to that till date, but after I spoke to her yesterday, my mind says : Be a light to those around you. I am not saying it is easy or I am going to be able to keep it up, but then it is definitely worth a shot. I saw the satisfaction and the happiness on sister's face that showed the beauty of her inner self. I think, I understood the proverb : Face is the index of the mind (or is it heart), for the first time, yesterday. Amazing this school is: Even on a casual visit, there is some lesson to take back. :-)
I dialled a friend... Of course I had to tell a school friend that I was in standing in the school grounds thinking of old times.. They say, when you look back, you are growing old.. May be it is true, but this once, growing old feels perfectly nice.
When I walked out, I heard myself singing...
There is a neat little school by the river..
Where the palm trees keep swaying in summer...
Where birds keep on chirping the whole live long day....
The school motto flashed on my mind : Higher and Higher... A school student in her bright white uniform was sprinting towards the school. I smiled and she returned the smile. She had no clue why I smiled, but I did. She will realize someday, like I did yesterday, that she studied in a neat little school by the river.
Where the palm trees keep swaying in summer;
Where birds keep chirping the whole live long day....
That's how our School Song began. We used to sing this song every Monday morning. I wanted to meet some of my school teachers yesterday. Set out to the school that has contributed significantly to my overall development. There was a familiar wave of excitement that I have felt the last time I stepped inside the portals of the school. I felt at least ten years younger... Note the at least!!!! :)
I don't know if a land surveyor or a supervisor would have looked around the place with such an interest... My eyes automatically scanned the school ground from one corner to another. My school has three grounds and while I was in school, it seemed very long stretch to cover and we used to feel very lazy to walk the entire stretch to attend classes. Yesterday, I had to roam the entire school stretch at least three times and I never felt the stretch to be long.
My pace quickened, the smile never faded. After a very long time, I remember my face had a stapled smile. Yeah, this is an after thought, as I write this post. I was smiling for two full hours :) Never happened in a long time. It felt nice to be loved the same way, as a school student by some of my teachers. Back in school, there were times when the same teachers were a total disappointment to the cheers of the students.. (or so it seemed then ). Now, thinking back, if it were not for some of their strict rules and the then seemingly pointless disciplinary actions, I am not sure, if I would be what I am today.
Awestruck, Surprised, and the generally happy me walked around the whole place and met some of my teachers. They just don't grow old... I wonder if it is to do with staying closely associated with children, but I was super amazed to see some of them, the same way, after twelve long years. Met one of my principals who is very old today. We have always respected her, but when she left school, I was not sure if and when I would meet her again. It was my dream all these years to meet her again. It was by chance that I came to know that she was in town and was counselling in the same school.
Went in to the neat and tidy, calm and quiet room. There are some people for whom you will feel like standing up even if it is midnight and you are fast asleep. This respected sister is one of them in my mind. The last I met her was in 1992. After 18 years, yesterday was quite an experience. We spoke discipline, trends, children, parenting, marriage, culture, prayers, old times, some whereabouts of fellow friends, each others' whereabouts, achievements, health care, career, moral science, academics, teenagers, television and society.
When I stood up to leave, she stood up, blessed me and a said a little prayer for me and my folks and wished me well. What I went through in my mind is quite difficult to put on paper, but what I can say for sure is, some people live for others and they are able to see life in a different angle. This respected sister had one parting shot thought for me and you : Be a beacon of light to those around you. Thinking about it now, my name also means the same.
Wonder if I have been able to live up to that till date, but after I spoke to her yesterday, my mind says : Be a light to those around you. I am not saying it is easy or I am going to be able to keep it up, but then it is definitely worth a shot. I saw the satisfaction and the happiness on sister's face that showed the beauty of her inner self. I think, I understood the proverb : Face is the index of the mind (or is it heart), for the first time, yesterday. Amazing this school is: Even on a casual visit, there is some lesson to take back. :-)
I dialled a friend... Of course I had to tell a school friend that I was in standing in the school grounds thinking of old times.. They say, when you look back, you are growing old.. May be it is true, but this once, growing old feels perfectly nice.
When I walked out, I heard myself singing...
There is a neat little school by the river..
Where the palm trees keep swaying in summer...
Where birds keep on chirping the whole live long day....
The school motto flashed on my mind : Higher and Higher... A school student in her bright white uniform was sprinting towards the school. I smiled and she returned the smile. She had no clue why I smiled, but I did. She will realize someday, like I did yesterday, that she studied in a neat little school by the river.
Comments
I get goose pimples every time I pass by my school building whenever I visit home. Your school song made me think of my school motto - Wisdom is better than rubies :) and me walking to school with a badge (that had the saying engraved on it) clipped to my tie...sigh...good times....
All the Best :)