learnings

Today I conducted a Picture comprehension activity fr the 11 year olds. The outcome was indeed interesting. i showed them a picture of two white horses, one horse looked a little bigger while the other smaller one had a carrot in its mouth. I gave the children about 15 minutes to construct a story on the given picture. There were 4 girls and 4 boys in the class. Results: Two girls made a story of a male horse marrying a female horse, having children etc. The other two girls created a story on friendship and sharing. Boys version- One gave a gory story of the horses being kidnapped and they murder their attacker and finally escape. Two boys talked on friendship but with fights and violence involved. The fourth boy talked of the small horse disobeying the mother horse and ending up in the wrong peer group and how the small horse lies, gets into fights and his money is stolen etc.. So what is it that you make out of this? Would you agree that if women had been heasds of nations the World ...

Many of our problems are actually 'worried into existence'. Worry is not caused by outward circumstances, but by our reaction to them! A healthy mind will remain poised under all circumstances! I read these lines in the Speaking Tree ,a special supplement of the Times of India. I loved the lines!!

This morning was unusually foggy in Chennai. I smirked that it was smog!! An Older colleague commented that the sun was white this morning and it signified that hot days are here to come and to stay on for many months to come!! Just yesterday I had a rejuvenating conversation with my son on seasons and humankind. Winter is the ideal time to relax, laze in bed and do nothing. Time to repair your body, mind and soul. Time to think, ruminate and meditate ! Spring - time to spring up to put those thoughts and ideas into action . Time to work, work, work! Summer- time to reach the peak of your project or work on personal and professional front. Autumn- time to stand back and look what has been done. Do the trimmings . Slow down. Winter- time to break/ contemplate.. Ah if we could work in this cycle of motion.... It also reminds me of the beautiful poem ," The Human Seasons" by John Keats- Four Seasons fill the measure of the year; There are four seasons in the mind of man: He has ...

I read a beautiful piece in The Speaking Tree this morning. It is an article which features the message of Osho. It is on love- simple emotion made so complex by Man. He cites the following. When a boy throws a stone at a girl ( a small one, maybe a paper ball too) he does so because he cant touch the girl( in our Indian society, not that easy!!) but at least he is satisfied that the paper /stone touched her. It is kind of accepted that boys chase girls. And girls keep running away. Osho says, hey girls, run, but stop to turn. Don't keep the chase on till it gets nasty. Often girls do not realize in the chase the boys end up getting so hurt and it leaves a rage that could turn nasty. It is in our hands not to let it go so violent! If you like a person, go ahead and speak your mind. If you do not like say it so as not to be condescending or hurting! Truth doth hurts! Boys ought to accept rejection as manly as they can too. Let us not complicate this beautiful emotion. Let it not be...

In the land of Ekalavya sacrificing a finger for his guru, it WAS SHOCKING TO HEAR AND READ ABOUT THE GRUESOME 'Guru Hatya' committed by a 15 year old in my city! In Chennai???Reason : his teacher had written remarks about his failure to his parents. So many questions run through my mind. I have been teaching for the last 21 years and I cannot imagine such a heinous ac being committed. I look back into history and mythology.. I am yet to come across a 'guru hatya'. I shudder, I tremble, I shiver!!! My condolences to both the families- to that of the teacher's and the student's !! The parents must be questioning and brooding over the way they have brought up the boy.. The teacher's family is worse affected- 2 girls rendered motherless, a husband left wife-less and parents have lost their daughter What is believed to be a safe profession for women will now take a turn. A boy who used to get Rs.100 a day as pocket money signifies that he is a spoilt brat. A boy...

Today as I finished off (rather licked off) the dinner packed by my mother I realized how she took care of the minute details like packing pappads, some extra food for me to pack to work the next day etc. In fact she even sends a fruit to have for dessert so i could just get home, eat and crash! My father always brings home the delicious prasad( temple offering) for me. My colleague brings me the "The Speaking Tree" a special supplement of the Times Of India which I enjoy reading. Such thoughtful acts...At the end of the day these little acts bring a sigh of happiness, a smile and a light heart..