I
hope a faint mark on your chin doesn't trigger any painful memories when you read this. Instead, I hope it leads you to a wealth of fond memories of your school. New friends, inspirational teachers, maybe a few mildly awkward moments and tonnes of learning to see you through an eventful life.
Where did that mark on chin come from? And how is it related to a new school-I hear you wonder on a telepathic channel miraculously working through time & space.
Well, despite all your mom's planning & everyone's best intentions, almost 12 hours before started your first day at school, you fell in the playground. I had taken Sky for her evening walk and some time in the playground is what gets you to tag along. We were almost on our way back when quite a few things happened all at once. The other children in the playground were leaving, their mom’s were fussing over Sky who was busy staring at her friend Aubrey from her classes. I looked back at towards you and you were standing atop the platform for the slide, having climbed up a wavey pole - your own little Everest. By the time I realised that you were standing there almost absent mindedly with one leg dangling in the air, busy looking towards the children who were leaving, you had somehow lost your balance and were falling down from a height of about 4-5 feet!
I wish I was superman because then I could have flown across
100 meters in the blink of an eye and caught you mid-air. Or maybe melted the wavey pole thingy (one of our favorite words the days ) with a laser beam stare before your chin smashed into it on your way down. Although I'm sure nature too would up its game to some super level to teach pain and descent to superman's kids.
Thankfully it wasn't a really a bad one but still it was the first time you and I had to deal with gushing blood and tears in free flow at the same time.
We took you to the doctors at A&3 but by then you had regained most of your composure and chirpiness. I'm sure the excitement and build up of a new school helped you get over the anguish. In this instance even 'NHS doctors and nurses did really well to acknowledge your impending big day and gave you immediate attention. Lots of it. On the way back you were as normal as ever.
The next morning I thought I sensed a certain melancholy, a mix of doubt & excitement in your mood. But it might have been my own feelings bouncing off of your face. For your first day at school, big school, I went along and waved at you when we left you with your teacher. Mrs Strevans (Mrs Drevons-as per your pronunciation).
When you came back that day you were happy to have spent time with your friend
Aadya. She's a year older and a year ahead but you shared your lunch with her. Seems like you will be sharing a lot more time with her - rides to and from school, breaks during school time and after school sessions.
Start of another journey - lot many friendships and a life time worth of learning
for you.
In that sense its so very typical of life to have put that fall and pain like a punctuation mark between your journeys in the two schools. For that’s how most journeys, friendships and leanings worth their while come to a beginning or a
conclusion - with a fall and some pain.
Dear Daughter,
I have very faint memories of my pre-school days but very vivid, colorful, nostalgic fond memories of the two other schools I attended. While the memories of the first one are mostly about childhood, its the environment, the teaching, coaching and mentorship I received there that forms the core of the civilized person in me. While it was a very old school (established in 1i53) in a small-ish town - the honest sincerity of most of my teachers was and is a rarity in itself. That was my first experience of
dealing with professionals and the ethics they represented.
My second school was new, polished as a cosmopolitan school should be, congested and in a concrete jungle by my old-school standards. In a lot many ways it was a reflection of the city that I had come to- confusing, costly, endearing and heart wrenchingly cruel all at the same time. I succeeded at times and then failed and faltered but still managed to stand out as a unique character in myself.
Most of my memorable associations, my lifelong friends, your mom included,
are people I met at this school. I would like to believe I won them over, if at all there was any winning over, by the grace of charm, some linguistic and academic skills that my old school rubbed into me.
Your daadi and shaasha’s put in a lot of effort and hard earned moneys to get me the education that we was hard to afford at times, especially in Delhi. Now much more than those days, good education in India is much beyond factors of affordability. Its about knowing people who know people who could get you into a half decent school across the town. Any journey to any school is fraught with challenges beyond comprehension. Contrast that to the schooling you get here and you have your answer on why we moved to UK before you entered our lives.
I leave here the feelings of an adolescent me when I left my friends and school in Jabalpur. My nostalgia for those days and that place remains unchanged, language might have improved since then.
My present past and friends fast
I dare not dream (of) days gone and past
Of the accompanied ways that went by fast
’cos if I remember them,
I no longer remain who I am
I only be what I had been
I just see what I had seen
My mind is marked by your face
I find myself in the same old place
In that small city with infinite sky
With small dwellings but spirits high
with the nature and neighborhood where life plays
Greenery abound all streets, always
The ways that witnessed our childhood days
Our muses, mischiefs, conversations and craze
I dare not do but its only true
Even when I say so I remember you
You, and all our mates and games
Their precious company, those naughty nicknames
The touching of skies and catching of thieves
Collecting and crushing those autumn leaves
The great group of pranksters we had
Amusing and teasing, we were never sad
I dare not do, yet I state
You’re not just my mate, you are my fate
You were my past, my present are your thoughts
You were just one but they are in lots
hope a faint mark on your chin doesn't trigger any painful memories when you read this. Instead, I hope it leads you to a wealth of fond memories of your school. New friends, inspirational teachers, maybe a few mildly awkward moments and tonnes of learning to see you through an eventful life.
Where did that mark on chin come from? And how is it related to a new school-I hear you wonder on a telepathic channel miraculously working through time & space.
Well, despite all your mom's planning & everyone's best intentions, almost 12 hours before started your first day at school, you fell in the playground. I had taken Sky for her evening walk and some time in the playground is what gets you to tag along. We were almost on our way back when quite a few things happened all at once. The other children in the playground were leaving, their mom’s were fussing over Sky who was busy staring at her friend Aubrey from her classes. I looked back at towards you and you were standing atop the platform for the slide, having climbed up a wavey pole - your own little Everest. By the time I realised that you were standing there almost absent mindedly with one leg dangling in the air, busy looking towards the children who were leaving, you had somehow lost your balance and were falling down from a height of about 4-5 feet!
I wish I was superman because then I could have flown across
100 meters in the blink of an eye and caught you mid-air. Or maybe melted the wavey pole thingy (one of our favorite words the days ) with a laser beam stare before your chin smashed into it on your way down. Although I'm sure nature too would up its game to some super level to teach pain and descent to superman's kids.
Thankfully it wasn't a really a bad one but still it was the first time you and I had to deal with gushing blood and tears in free flow at the same time.
We took you to the doctors at A&3 but by then you had regained most of your composure and chirpiness. I'm sure the excitement and build up of a new school helped you get over the anguish. In this instance even 'NHS doctors and nurses did really well to acknowledge your impending big day and gave you immediate attention. Lots of it. On the way back you were as normal as ever.
The next morning I thought I sensed a certain melancholy, a mix of doubt & excitement in your mood. But it might have been my own feelings bouncing off of your face. For your first day at school, big school, I went along and waved at you when we left you with your teacher. Mrs Strevans (Mrs Drevons-as per your pronunciation).
When you came back that day you were happy to have spent time with your friend
Aadya. She's a year older and a year ahead but you shared your lunch with her. Seems like you will be sharing a lot more time with her - rides to and from school, breaks during school time and after school sessions.
Start of another journey - lot many friendships and a life time worth of learning
for you.
In that sense its so very typical of life to have put that fall and pain like a punctuation mark between your journeys in the two schools. For that’s how most journeys, friendships and leanings worth their while come to a beginning or a
conclusion - with a fall and some pain.
Dear Daughter,
I have very faint memories of my pre-school days but very vivid, colorful, nostalgic fond memories of the two other schools I attended. While the memories of the first one are mostly about childhood, its the environment, the teaching, coaching and mentorship I received there that forms the core of the civilized person in me. While it was a very old school (established in 1i53) in a small-ish town - the honest sincerity of most of my teachers was and is a rarity in itself. That was my first experience of
dealing with professionals and the ethics they represented.
My second school was new, polished as a cosmopolitan school should be, congested and in a concrete jungle by my old-school standards. In a lot many ways it was a reflection of the city that I had come to- confusing, costly, endearing and heart wrenchingly cruel all at the same time. I succeeded at times and then failed and faltered but still managed to stand out as a unique character in myself.
Most of my memorable associations, my lifelong friends, your mom included,
are people I met at this school. I would like to believe I won them over, if at all there was any winning over, by the grace of charm, some linguistic and academic skills that my old school rubbed into me.
Your daadi and shaasha’s put in a lot of effort and hard earned moneys to get me the education that we was hard to afford at times, especially in Delhi. Now much more than those days, good education in India is much beyond factors of affordability. Its about knowing people who know people who could get you into a half decent school across the town. Any journey to any school is fraught with challenges beyond comprehension. Contrast that to the schooling you get here and you have your answer on why we moved to UK before you entered our lives.
I leave here the feelings of an adolescent me when I left my friends and school in Jabalpur. My nostalgia for those days and that place remains unchanged, language might have improved since then.
My present past and friends fast
I dare not dream (of) days gone and past
Of the accompanied ways that went by fast
’cos if I remember them,
I no longer remain who I am
I only be what I had been
I just see what I had seen
My mind is marked by your face
I find myself in the same old place
In that small city with infinite sky
With small dwellings but spirits high
with the nature and neighborhood where life plays
Greenery abound all streets, always
The ways that witnessed our childhood days
Our muses, mischiefs, conversations and craze
I dare not do but its only true
Even when I say so I remember you
You, and all our mates and games
Their precious company, those naughty nicknames
The touching of skies and catching of thieves
Collecting and crushing those autumn leaves
The great group of pranksters we had
Amusing and teasing, we were never sad
I dare not do, yet I state
You’re not just my mate, you are my fate
You were my past, my present are your thoughts
You were just one but they are in lots
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