Friends
Arunav and his close friend got onto the bus and sat down together. A 3rd friend came and his friend left him and went and sat with the other friend.
Even a month back I had seen him get upset about that. Yesterday, he ignored it - no reaction at all. I sat beside him, looked at him and asked,'Are you sad inside because your friend left you and went?'
His eyes brimmed with tears and he buried his head in my lap. It was all I could do to swallow my own as he did that.....
I managed to make him smile soon with other stuff and he is a kid, he forgets - soon the other kid will also come and play again - but those moments - is there any way we can stop those hurts? Even today, if a friend who has managed to touch my heart, leaves me - it hurts.... there is no solution.... I should not even try to prepare him. It is part of life which he has to go through.... I guess??
The Streets
I gave Aarushi a bowl of warm just-popped popcorns. She liked it so much that she started eating with both hands and stuffing them in her mouth. I told her, 'Aarushi, eat little at a time - there is no hurry and it is your bowl.'
She thought for a while, slowed down and added,'But in school and parties I have to eat like this.'
:)
Diwali
We had a Diwali Assembly in FIS last week. The kids sang, they danced and they saw a movie... - the whole school(primary) watched. We struggled to make things happen, we smoothed over differences of opinion among parents, we struggled to get the kids practise the songs and mantras, we had to digest criticism.....yes, in a nutshell we sweated a lot.
Last night when this mother said,'I am so thankful to you guys - now K is so proud of his identity as an Indian - he sang Gayatri Mantra to my parents over phone and they cried as they heard him - they could not believe it - thanks so much!'
It makes it worth all that sweat and tears, it makes it worth the effort because of the kids.... Yes the reflections of those small little lamps in everyone's eyes makes it worth it.
