It is not how old you are, but how you are old. -Jules Renard
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I have learned and I do


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My dear teachers,

I stand before you today at the reunion event of our batch to try and express in words, a mixed feeling of pleasure and grattitude, so great that it is beyond words. But what vincentian would I be, if I don't dare and do. And I trust that I am representing all my childhood friends when I say this.

Our country has a great tradition, the गुरु शिष्य परंपरा, and the overwhelming feeling I have today is the same that represents the Guru Pournima, that otherwise annual outporuing of student teacher love, that many of us witness, or at least know about, in the context of music and spirituality.

That historic, awesome personality, Chanakya, considered teachers as nation builders. He responded thus to king Dhananand, when money and power tried to belittle knowledge and creativity, and I quote: "शिक्षक साधरण नहीं होता धनानंद, प्रज्ञा व क्रयता उसकी गोद मे पलते हैं । इस धरा के लिये आवश्यक नागरिकों का निर्माण वह स्वयं कर लेता है ।" Meaning, "Never under-estimate the teacher who cradles knowledge and action, and shapes the citizens that build the nation".

My dear teachers, teaching has been your life's work and I think the best way to share some of the happiness you have enabled us to pursue and obtain in life, would be to tell you about some of the things that I have learned from you, and then about some others that I'm still working on.

There will always be a distinction between what you have tried to teach us and what I have actually learned, and I would like to believe, that the sum of these two parts makes your goal worth achieving for you, and my life worth living for me. While it is not possible to enumerate all, here are three instances that are representative.

Mr. Augustine Fernandes taught us history, and I have learned the art of imbibing humor in communication to make it effective. Who of us can forget "मै फिर बटाटा हूं"! Mr. Shankarnarayan taught us math, but I have learned to be a genuine person and am still trying to better my handwriting towards an ideal one. Mrs. Gharat taught us arts and craft, and I believe I've had a glimpse of the music that is life, and trust that I will realize it one day. And being a vincentian, win.

Thank you.


Tags: St. Vincents, Reunion, Teacher, Learning


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