There are a few days in your life that you remember with a lot of affection, some days make you emotional, some are filled with nostalgia, some bring back your childhood, some rejuvenate your energy levels like never before, some make you feel proud.
December 14th 2013. This day brought be all of the above and so much more. here's how...
Its was a usual morning for me, had just woken up and was getting ready for the day. I got a call from my grade 5th Class Teacher one random morning - Anette Koshy, asking me how i was doing and my where abouts. She then asked me if i was available on the 7th December to visit the school, and before i could respond she said, we have our school prize distribution event and I personally want to you to be our Guest of Honor. I was speechless...didn't know how to react.
Anette mme was my class teacher. Not many but i recall at least 2-3 times when i hadn't done my English home work, and was punished in her class. Once i was punished for poor spelling mistakes in my English papers. You probably get the idea what my condition would be at that moment.
I very humbly denied the offer as i was not going to make to on that day because my cousin was getting married on the 8th December. I apologized and promised that if it were any other day, i would gladly make it.
on 7th I got a sms from mme, saying that they have changed the date to 14th December to accommodate my plans and that they would be really like for me and Sneha to make it together. This was an ultimate honor for both me and Sneha for my entire family.
When we arrived at the school, it was a usual school day morning, i could still hear the students in the corridors, we entered the principle office. The teachers walked in one after the other, each with a slight puzzle on their face, and then a smile recognizing Sneha first and then me too.
Me and Sneha went to the same school, i completed my SSC class Tenth in 1995 and Sneha did her's in 2005. We both had our own reasons for the teachers to remember us. Sneha had stood 2nd in the school. And i was probably on the top 5 notorious rascals in my time. Or on the even top 10 in the "hopeless, good for nothing, trouble maker" category. Over breakfast we exchanged a few long lost memories and anecdotes about the good old days. Soon it was time for us to walk up to the auditorium, where the entire secondary section had assembled with their proud parents anxiously waiting for the function to start.
the event started with a lot of claps and greetings after brief introductions, i was asked to say a few words of inspiration to the aspiring students gathered. what i spoke after that was totally unprepared, or pre-rehearsed. It was something like this,,,
Morning everyone....a big hello to respected Teachers, members of the trust, parents, and the kid's gathered here. how are you all doing!!..So first off, i had no clue that i would have to speak to all you guys today, i hadn't prepared for any such occasion, so you might see me fumbling for words every once in a while and if that happens, i apologize to you. I am normally on the other side on such occasions, making fun of the ones who are standing here with a mike tryign to bore the gutts of the audience, so this is goign to be difficult for me. lets try...
Let me start by asking you guys a question: the one question that might be asked by others quite a few times, already, if not then be prepared as many would ask you this am sure...so...what would you like to be when you grow up!?
one of the kids sprung his hand up in the air and said: i want to be an IIT Engineer, i said common shout it out loud, what was that again? IIT ENGINEER!!!
Common who else...what would you like to be when you grow up: IAS OFFICER, common someone from the balcony up there, what do you want to be?? AERONAUTICAL ENGINEER came the respose...
i got them all excited, stirred them up a little bit, the kids were all eyes on me now.
do you kids know how lucky you are!? today's generation has sucha big advantage over the previous generations. today you know what you want to be! i was clueless when i was growing up, i in fact didn't even know what Aeronautical engineering was, or what IIT was!!!
Today everything is so easily accessible, at the click of button! you have to realize the power of information your generation has! you all are masters of you today's day and age!!! you all are 10-15 times faster and better than where my generation ever was!!
When we had to satisfy our curiosity of small small things we had to take great efforts!, our teachers had to take great efforts! to get us that knowledge, that information.
Today if you would like to know how is milk processed, you can launch a browser on your phone and find out everything about milk processing in a matter of minutes. When we wanted to learn about that, our teachers had to arrange a field trip, to Arey Milk Colony in Goregaon, and take us all there for an entire day to witness the plant and processing. Believe me it took a lot of efforts and our teachers, there very teachers they do it with a lot of affection and care, just as a mother would do for you at home.
So dear students never ever disrespect them, they are the ones that take care of you while you are away form your home, away from your parents, they deserve your respect and love.
And by respect i don't mean touching their feet on Diwali and on new years, by respect i mean truely recognizing their value and contribution in your upbringing and always giving them highest regard for their contributions in what you are today, in what you will be tomorrow.
May you get all the happiness in life and achieve all your goals you set for future. My best wishes are with you today and always.
After the above, i took my seat and the proceedings started, one after the other the kids were called upon the stage and i handed out the certificates and gifts wrapped in glittering shiny gift wraps. they were all lit up with excitement to see those gift boxes. some were repeated winners so kept coming back twice, thrice, even more times. Some of these kids even tried to touch my feet, which i humbly resisted, innocent little
angels, all of them...
Sneha also, was requested to stand up and share a few words with the crowd, she did the same with a genuine heart and words. and then the kids received their gifts and prizes with her hands. She was and always is my star, and to see her hand out prizes as a guest of honor gave me a small idea of what my parents would have felt like that day.
Any amount of wealth and prosperity, any amount of success, affluence, cannot even come close to the respect and pride i collected that day, when my family was made the Guest of Honors.
It was a moment of ultimate pride when mom and dad were requested to hand out gifts and prizes to the kids.
Growing up, I hardly got prizes and gifts like this in my academic career, i wasn't the brightest of the lot you see ;) but on that day, when Pappa and mummy handed out the gifts to the young kids, i think i earned myself the brownie points that i couldn't manage as a Kid :)
December 14th 2013. This day brought be all of the above and so much more. here's how...
Its was a usual morning for me, had just woken up and was getting ready for the day. I got a call from my grade 5th Class Teacher one random morning - Anette Koshy, asking me how i was doing and my where abouts. She then asked me if i was available on the 7th December to visit the school, and before i could respond she said, we have our school prize distribution event and I personally want to you to be our Guest of Honor. I was speechless...didn't know how to react.
Anette mme was my class teacher. Not many but i recall at least 2-3 times when i hadn't done my English home work, and was punished in her class. Once i was punished for poor spelling mistakes in my English papers. You probably get the idea what my condition would be at that moment.
I very humbly denied the offer as i was not going to make to on that day because my cousin was getting married on the 8th December. I apologized and promised that if it were any other day, i would gladly make it.
on 7th I got a sms from mme, saying that they have changed the date to 14th December to accommodate my plans and that they would be really like for me and Sneha to make it together. This was an ultimate honor for both me and Sneha for my entire family.
When we arrived at the school, it was a usual school day morning, i could still hear the students in the corridors, we entered the principle office. The teachers walked in one after the other, each with a slight puzzle on their face, and then a smile recognizing Sneha first and then me too.
Me and Sneha went to the same school, i completed my SSC class Tenth in 1995 and Sneha did her's in 2005. We both had our own reasons for the teachers to remember us. Sneha had stood 2nd in the school. And i was probably on the top 5 notorious rascals in my time. Or on the even top 10 in the "hopeless, good for nothing, trouble maker" category. Over breakfast we exchanged a few long lost memories and anecdotes about the good old days. Soon it was time for us to walk up to the auditorium, where the entire secondary section had assembled with their proud parents anxiously waiting for the function to start.
the event started with a lot of claps and greetings after brief introductions, i was asked to say a few words of inspiration to the aspiring students gathered. what i spoke after that was totally unprepared, or pre-rehearsed. It was something like this,,,
Morning everyone....a big hello to respected Teachers, members of the trust, parents, and the kid's gathered here. how are you all doing!!..So first off, i had no clue that i would have to speak to all you guys today, i hadn't prepared for any such occasion, so you might see me fumbling for words every once in a while and if that happens, i apologize to you. I am normally on the other side on such occasions, making fun of the ones who are standing here with a mike tryign to bore the gutts of the audience, so this is goign to be difficult for me. lets try...
Let me start by asking you guys a question: the one question that might be asked by others quite a few times, already, if not then be prepared as many would ask you this am sure...so...what would you like to be when you grow up!?
one of the kids sprung his hand up in the air and said: i want to be an IIT Engineer, i said common shout it out loud, what was that again? IIT ENGINEER!!!
Common who else...what would you like to be when you grow up: IAS OFFICER, common someone from the balcony up there, what do you want to be?? AERONAUTICAL ENGINEER came the respose...
i got them all excited, stirred them up a little bit, the kids were all eyes on me now.
do you kids know how lucky you are!? today's generation has sucha big advantage over the previous generations. today you know what you want to be! i was clueless when i was growing up, i in fact didn't even know what Aeronautical engineering was, or what IIT was!!!
Today everything is so easily accessible, at the click of button! you have to realize the power of information your generation has! you all are masters of you today's day and age!!! you all are 10-15 times faster and better than where my generation ever was!!
When we had to satisfy our curiosity of small small things we had to take great efforts!, our teachers had to take great efforts! to get us that knowledge, that information.
Today if you would like to know how is milk processed, you can launch a browser on your phone and find out everything about milk processing in a matter of minutes. When we wanted to learn about that, our teachers had to arrange a field trip, to Arey Milk Colony in Goregaon, and take us all there for an entire day to witness the plant and processing. Believe me it took a lot of efforts and our teachers, there very teachers they do it with a lot of affection and care, just as a mother would do for you at home.
So dear students never ever disrespect them, they are the ones that take care of you while you are away form your home, away from your parents, they deserve your respect and love.
And by respect i don't mean touching their feet on Diwali and on new years, by respect i mean truely recognizing their value and contribution in your upbringing and always giving them highest regard for their contributions in what you are today, in what you will be tomorrow.
May you get all the happiness in life and achieve all your goals you set for future. My best wishes are with you today and always.
After the above, i took my seat and the proceedings started, one after the other the kids were called upon the stage and i handed out the certificates and gifts wrapped in glittering shiny gift wraps. they were all lit up with excitement to see those gift boxes. some were repeated winners so kept coming back twice, thrice, even more times. Some of these kids even tried to touch my feet, which i humbly resisted, innocent little
angels, all of them...
Sneha also, was requested to stand up and share a few words with the crowd, she did the same with a genuine heart and words. and then the kids received their gifts and prizes with her hands. She was and always is my star, and to see her hand out prizes as a guest of honor gave me a small idea of what my parents would have felt like that day.
Any amount of wealth and prosperity, any amount of success, affluence, cannot even come close to the respect and pride i collected that day, when my family was made the Guest of Honors.
It was a moment of ultimate pride when mom and dad were requested to hand out gifts and prizes to the kids.
Growing up, I hardly got prizes and gifts like this in my academic career, i wasn't the brightest of the lot you see ;) but on that day, when Pappa and mummy handed out the gifts to the young kids, i think i earned myself the brownie points that i couldn't manage as a Kid :)
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