Teacher's Day Journal: Miracle called 'Child'

Harish with Hari!! A friend indeed!!!

Here is Harish's group of friends, his supporters!!

Harish's entry on stage!

A scene from the play!!

For the past two days there is hardly any student in the classrooms. They were busy with the preparations for Teacher’s Day.

It was Thursday. As many weren’t in the class, I sat there along with a few students who weren’t participating in the program.

There were two boys on a bench involved in a deep conversation; one of them, a physically challenged boy who was looking angry and upset. After a while, I could see his friend had closed his ears with his fingers and was very much frustrated. Finally he got up and walked away from him. I called him to check what really went wrong. What I found out opened my eyes!!

He: ‘Ma’am, Harish loves to participate in the program but he is too scared that others will mock at him as he is handicapped. We (8 friends in his group) are trying to encourage him to be on stage. He is talented. Though he is handicapped he manages to run, to do gymnastics and he can play some part in a skit too. But he doesn’t listen to our words and gets angry whenever we tell him to perform!

Me: Leave him alone if he doesn’t want to be on stage. Why are you making him angry?

He: But Ma’am, he loves to be on stage and he has to go and perform. He is scared of the few boys who tease him. He says that he will leave our school.

Me: Oh!! Others tease him?

(He discretely showed me the 2 boys who tease Harish)

He: Ma’am, only when he goes on stage they will stop teasing him. All of us encourage him so much. Why can’t he listen to us than listening to the ones that tease him, Ma’am?

(Everything made sense, but I was completely lost)

Me: Now, what do you want him to do? And how to make him perform?

He: Can you help us Ma’am? Will you please tell him to participate in the Teacher’s Day skit Ma’am?

Me: I can tell him. But will he get a role?

He: Yes Ma’am, Our friends are there in the skit. If the seniors give permission, he can join.

I took Harish and his friends outside the classroom. I made Harish understand that he has to take the first step to come out of his own handicap. He finally agreed to fight it out and was too happy. In no time his friends brought the boys who were in the skit. They were beaming with joy. They called the Asst Captain also and she promised me that she will make sure that he is going to play a role in the skit. Harish looked confident and was gathering courage and determination to break the walls of limitations around him. From now on, Harish’s world would expand and his horizons would widen!!

Harish’s friends jumped around me and thanked me as I made it happen!! They looked at me as if I am a magician. Yes, what they couldn’t do in all these years, I did it in a minute!! But then, did I do anything great? Is the Teacher a miracle maker? NO, NO, NO!!!

As I took my bag and walked past the children I had started admiring them. 11 year old children taught me the positive result of unfailing love, kindness, support, encouragement and friendship. My hope in the New Gen increased to another level and a doubt remained if it is the adults’ selfish lives that pollute the young minds!!

Today we celebrated Teacher’s Day. Yes, Harish played the role of 'Good Student' in the play along with his friends in the comedy skit. He has gone miles in his life than yesterday. His friends are sincerely happy for him. I took the group to our School Correspondent with this inspirational story and she congratulated all of them. What better thing could happen on a Teacher’s Day!

A Teacher isn’t a miracle maker, yet plays a part in the making of a miracle. The real miracle is the ‘Student’, the ‘Child’, who teaches her unending lessons of goodness and innocence. And each time when I witness such a miracle, I thank God for making me a Teacher.

I remember all my Teachers who made Miracles happen in my life and thank all the educational institutional institutions (where I studied and at present working) for moulding a better person out of me.

With a prayer to Almighty God to bless all the teachers with His wisdom and knowledge, Sindhu. 

On the eve of Women's Day...A Tribute to a Great Woman! (Written on behalf of her daughter)

They call me Nirbhaya

And I call myself Nirbhagya

Till that day I was one among you

Today I am alone, I lost my life

I’m alone but not so far

From the sobs of my Dad and Mom

How can I leave you in your grief

That’s killing you alive each painful day?

How can I tell you that I am here

Free to choose a hell or heaven

Home is where I first saw love

It’s in your arms I first felt safe

The daughter who brought you smiles

Turned to a scar in your heart

They took my life, my home, my joy

The monsters born of another woman

What bled me the most wasn’t the rape

But the shame and pain that my parents bore

Rapist is a name they call

The person who commits the crime

What can I call them, the others,

Who blindly live when my home is hell?

I am just a name for them to discuss

Never will justice dry my tears

I fought for life to save the rest

Who else can save them, if not a woman?

They left me to the mercy of justice

They think I’m a hero, but I’m not

They killed me, I didn’t die for a cause

I tried to live for a cause, I couldn’t

They sleep when my Dad keeps awake

They laugh when my Mom wipes her tears

Now I see the truth so clear

I can hear each word they utter

Nothing is changed, nothing will change

No justice can undo the injustice done

Women still live as makers of men

Care takers, cooks and tools for them

If they could kill me and yet feel fine

No human justice can ever be done

A day should come when women know

That they aren’t made by a lesser God

Empowerment is realising power

Within one self and fighting one’s fight

I didn’t win, but my Mom is fighting

Her own battle, with grit and faith

Ma,I lost the life that you gave me in your womb

And now I live in your heart as a sad memory.

I salute you Mom, for not letting go

The right to fight for your little girl

Mom, I call you Nirbhaya

As you change your silent tears into a voice heard

You stood there, you never gave up, you fought for justice

I wish you ‘Proud women’s day', you are my Hero, my mother

A letter to 2014-15 batch Clunytes, STD XII

It has almost become a tradition to read a letter at the end of each year to my students. But somehow this year, my letter is written to the whole batch of STD XII 2014-15.

My most beloved little girls,

Words don’t come easy this time. May be the reason is, there are thoughts beyond words. But I am sure that you will understand my heart as all of us share the same feeling now.

For a short or a long while, all of you became Clunytes by God’s Grace. And now it is time to leave your favourite play ground called Cluny. For different reasons, all of you may not be feeling the same way as you leave. As you move out of this institution that practices its motto ‘Love and Serve’, it is my sincere wish that each one of you should have a heart filled with love and a will to serve this world.

Let us assume that after years of sailing, you have finally reached the sea shore along with the crew called teachers. You have different experiences, but now nothing matters as the journey is getting over. You are standing on the same sand with lots of pretty shells around. What will you pick up from the shore before you leave? Won’t you pick up the best ones that you love, and cherish them as your fond memories? Won’t you smile at the crew members and thank them just once? Anyway remember that those who are fortunate to have sailed in Cluny even for a short while are sure to have seen and felt love.

Even as you sit among your parents and teachers the fact remains: no one knows who a teacher or parent really is; or what a School or Home really means. I feel that it is because of our constant comparison and a perception of an ideal teacher, ideal parent, ideal school, ideal home etc.

The word ideal in the adjective form has these meanings: existing only in the imagination; desirable or perfect but not likely to become a reality. And its synonyms are: unattainable, unachievable, impracticable, unworkable, unfeasible;

unreal, fictitious, hypothetical, theoretical, ivory towered, imaginary, idealized,  utopian, quixotic, visionary, fanciful, etc. And what I think is that the most ideal thing to do always is, just to believe in God, and take everything in our life as God’s gifts of love, and above all as God’s will for us. The luckiest person on Earth is not the one who gets the best life, but it is the one who makes the best of his/her life on Earth.

Your parents and teachers are the ones who have the major share in your growing up years. And as we look at you today with love and joy in our hearts, all of us feel proud of each one of you. You have grown up to beautiful ladies, bold and confident to meet life at its stride. Please do not compare yourself with anyone or try to become like anyone else. Regardless of your marks and stature, please believe that you are born as a unique individual to fulfil a unique purpose. Don’t give up hope. One day, some day, you will find out that purpose. I am confident about this as I waited in hope for so many years before I saw that miracle happen in my life. Sooner or later each one of you will bloom and spread fragrance all around. Sooner or later you will bear fruit. But till then, be good, do good and feel good.

None of us gave you wings or even added a feather to them. But you drew strength from us in the form of love, care, discipline, correction, etc..the list is too long. Yes, everything that you received was needed for your growth. The sweet milk and the bitter medicine, both were equally important in your life and so we gave them many times without your consent. At the end, everything comes to the same point, the Eternal fact that we love you so much.

As you flutter your wings to fly to the heights, your parents may feel anxious; not because they want you to be caged birds, just because they fear if you would be safe and happy wherever you fly.

The scripture says: honour your parents so that everything will go well with you on Earth. Fly children, find out your heights, enjoy the sights..but please keep on strengthening your wings till they are strong enough to fly back home and see your loved ones. If your wings aren’t helping you to land where you took off, its strength is of no use. Fly back and forth towards all your responsibilities. Reach out to your loved ones when you need them and also when you are needed in their life.

I will close this letter with one last thought that I shared with my students in our last class. As a child I loved my Dad more than my Mom, as he never scolded or punished me. But today I wonder who among them would’ve loved me more? Perhaps Mom’s stern correction made me what I am today as much as my Dad’s acceptance. And now I choose to love them both equally as I will never know how to assess a parent’s love. The same goes in my teachers’ case too. As much as affection and acceptance, correction and discipline are good for children and the wise ones accept all of them. You be wise and be nice. Love you my girls..

With love, your teacher, Sindhu

7th January 1966 - 2015

7th January 2015 brings to my life yet another birthday. I think birthdays come faster than they used to come before.

The length of the journey was calculated last year..

48 years + 12 extra days of 12 leap years 57 months

13140 + 4392 = 17532 Days

17532 x 24 = 420768 hours

420768 x 60 = 25246080 minutes

25246080 x 60 =1514764800 seconds

Now, plus 1 year, 12 months, 365 days, etc....

I was born on a full moon day on 7^th January 1966 and since then the full moon appeared 607 times.

January 1966
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
						1
2	3	4	5	6	7	8
9	10	11	12	13	14	15
16	17	18	19	20	21	22
23	24	25	26	27	28	29
30	31

From last year till now, the journey was good. I am grateful to each moment of 2014. It taught me the way down to Earth, leaving the tough upward journey in life’s ladder. My priorities stopped changing according to my needs; rather it changes according to the situations where others need me.

I’m so happy to pass through each year as I believe that best is yet to be. Life is not the number of years we breathe. Life is something that even death cannot take away from us. Life never dies.

The more I live, the more I wonder and the less I speak! All I understand is that everything is beyond my comprehension and best is to be present in each moment, wondering about the marvel of Creation.

The more I live I come to know that everything is predestined and predesigned and the best is to live through life, touching each precious moments in gratitude.

I am sure that the best thing to happen need not be something that makes you laugh. May be, the best moment was when I stopped someone cry.

The best gift wasn’t something very expensive that I got, but probably the love that flowed through me when someone needed it.

And the more I live, the more I pray for Grace and Strength that comes from God.

I stopped preaching my religion, but started practicing it.

I stopped reacting to injustice, started to practice justice.

I stopped expecting from others, started to share with the needy.

I stopped worrying, started to practice faith.

I stopped crying, started to treat me with a smile.

All these changes wouldn’t have been possible without God and God sent people. Thanks to people who I have known since my birth, stayed in my life since years, came to my life in 2014, not to forget the people who left me along the journey. I thank you all, as your coming or going made me grow into what I am now.

Most of all, I learnt that each day is my chance to return love to the people who love us and a chance to make up for the hurt and pain that I’ve caused to others. The best thought that I had this year is, ‘Many people have helped us to strengthen our wings so that we can fly to new heights. But the same strength has to be used to reach back to them in gratitude, to take a detour and come back home and to our dear ones. If our feathers are designed with the magic of love, they will surely help us fly back home, where we started.’

The journey of another 365 days starts here. With a heart full of thanks I bow before my parents who taught me life as a journey from Heaven to Earth and then from Earth to Heaven...I learnt almost everything from them, also from my brother, my husband, my kids, my friends...

And all my learning comes to one single point called Love: a Love that lives for others, a love that makes sacrifices, a love that gives others life.

Thanks to all who were and are and will be in my life. If God wills, I will continue this journal on January 7, 2016!!