arrested development is an asset in her professional and personal life. She firmly ... for them - to be of service and g
In Conversation with...
EDITORIAL
New Year Greetings for 2018! A simple but big thought to help us make new beginnings. This comes from motivational speaker B.K. Shivani of the Brahma Kumari movement, who nudges us to reflect on the power of the WORD. I AM………… What I fill in the blank will create MY REALITY. I AM Busy…Stressed…Depressed… Unwell…Tired…Upset…Addicted OR I AM Easy…Relaxed…Happy… Healthy…Energized…Powerful Change Your WORD to Change Your WORLD. Isn't that a fascinating thought? This edition of FEMNET brings some remarkable reads. We're in conversation with Dr. Nandita de Souza of Sethu, who along with her team is involved in heartwarming work in the field of Child Development and Family Mental Health. There's a great take on the inspiring Invictus Games; ride along the lazy Mandovi to discover the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary or hop on a train…a ride down memory lane; learn to cope the positive way with widowhood and exam fever. Read on… With gratitude we'd like to acknowledge our FEMNET contributors, writers, subscribers and support teams who have collaborated seamlessly to give FEMNET an international presence and flavor. Thank you very much. Yes! The WORD is powerful. Keep the fire burning! We look forward to hearing and sharing your stories in 2018. Please continue to write in. Writer Lesley Vos, shares some great ideas to help evoke inspiration to write. Check out, https://www.livewritethrive.com Best,
Dr. Nandita de Souza
Nandita de Souza is a developmental and behavioural paediatrician and the Director of Sethu Centre for Child Development and Family Guidance in Goa, India, whose raison d'etre is children and all who care for them. Her self-proclaimed arrested development is an asset in her professional and personal life. She firmly believes that 'problems' are learning opportunities in life. Nandita prefers to write in her head, though on rare occasions guilt and self-loathing propel her from thought to text. What was the inspiration... the 'aha moment' to start Sethu in 2005? I truly believe that I was born to work (and play) with children and all those that care for them - to be of service and grow to be a better person in the process. I trained as a general paediatrician at Goa Medical College. I've always been fascinated by how children grow into independent and unique thinkers and doers. After a stint of Government service, I was ready for something more specialised and joined an organisation in Goa, focusing on child development. This was an exciting time and I'd hoped my dream of a flourishing centre for children would come to fruition. However I realised my vision was not shared by the powers that be and it appeared that children were becoming secondary. Frustrated, I had my epiphany. It was more like a 'do or die' moment rather than an 'aha one'! My chagrin led to positive change - both personal and professional - I resigned together with 2 other colleagues - Yogita Joshi, a special educator and Anjali Nunes, a speech therapist. We were fortunate to have a sea of support to float the dream of Sethu – a place where children and their concerns will always come first! Three trusting trustees Ameeta Mascarenhas, Elvina Pontes and Sneha Bhandare put their might behind us and Sethu was born in June 2005, with 6 mothers! Since then there has been no looking back. The Sethu vision has been steadily growing, both in its scope and reach. Our sea of support has turned into an ocean of opportunity. Today Sethu has five trustees and 21 staff from a range of disciplines, working together to live the dream. 6000 kids lives touched in 12 years that's a big number given that the population of Goa is 14 lakh. Tell us how those kids integrate into mainstream life today. Sethu's approach is strengths-based. Therefore anything we do starts with the conviction that it is possible because people are resilient and resourceful. We believe in inclusion - that every child, including one with special needs, has a right to participate in all aspects of life. This is the only way that our world will progress. Sethu means 'bridge', so we look for pillars, other people who care for and can support the child in a range of ways and means. Much of our work happens outside the four walls of the centre - in homes, schools and communities. Our service doesn't just provide diagnostic assessments and therapy sessions. To be effective and enduring, it encompasses empowering families with information and skills, networking with Heads and teachers in schools, building awareness in the continued on page 2
Goa's Bird Sanctuary Pg 3
My Journey through WidowPg 3 hood Pg 4
Attitudes
Search Unconquered & You shall Find Pg 4 Pg 5
Tips for Writing Exams Pg 5
Train of Thought Pg 7
Some Thoughts on Teachers Pg 7 5
IN THIS ISSUE ISSUE 65 I PAGE 1 JAN-FEB 2018
c o m m u n i t y, l o b b y i n g w i t h policymakers for child rights and so on. Our goal is that each child should develop to their best potential and this can only be done through collaboration. What are the most common child development issues? Sethu works with children from birth to 19 years. The common developmental concerns are linked to the age of the child. Many of the infants under one year are at high risk for developmental delay, such as babies with prematurity and low birth weight, Down Syndrome and birth trauma. We offer neurodevelopmental follow-up and early intervention. Children from one to three years are often referred for developmental delays. These include late walking, speech problems and common behaviour difficulties such as temper tantrums, poor feeding and sleeping. Once the children start school, delays are often picked up by the teachers and the reasons for referral include academic underperformance, struggles with reading, spelling, writing and exam s t r e s s . E m o t i o n a l d i ff i c u l t i e s especially anger issues are seen across all ages (and very often in the parents too!). Over the last year, Sethu has made a concerted effort to reach out to children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) since this little-known condition has serious consequences across the lifespan if not treated adequately. Whatever the 'problem', we are confident that we can make a difference because the strengths often outweigh the difficulties, we work with the families and are never alone and we have a team of competent professionals who support each other. What are the challenges in getting parents to accept a child's learning/development problem? This is one of the greatest challenges of working in the field of child development. Almost 50% of the children who come to Sethu are below 5 years. This is a most fortunate situation because much can be achieved through early intervention. Unfortunately, many families do not come for assessment or regular therapy. I believe it is fear that keeps them away -the trepidation they feel in being told that their child has a disability, or the shame and isolation of stigma. Guilt often plays a huge role - parents feel the issue is their fault. It could be the despair at the 'loss of the
perfect child' and the dread that nothing much can be done. As professionals, it is impossible to put ourselves entirely in the shoes of parents. To offer support and reassurance to families whose children have been recently diagnosed, we often bring in experienced parents of children who have triumphed over many of these hurdles. They provide a plethora of information, practical knowledge and most importantly, the hope that LOTS can be done. Acceptance is a long process and we need to be patient, caring and supportive at all times. 'Be a Hero for Sethu'. You have ambitious plans, a Rs. 5 crore target to achieve, how can willing individuals support? Over the last 12 years, we have realised that there is a dire need for a permanent home for Sethu's work. At the start of the 'Build Our Bridge' campaign to raise INR 5 crores, we had only immeasurable hope and conviction in Sethu's emotional bank account! We decided to use the 'Peer to Peer' fundraising model. We conceptualised the INR 5 crores as a bridge to a better future for children and announced that to build it, we needed 5000 'bricks', each costing INR 10,000. A blitz of emails, letters, social media messages, a promotional video and a revamped website followed. We asked our supporters to become 'Heroes for Sethu' by donating one brick and then persuading 9 other people to do the same. With this approach, we have raised the money to purchase land in less than one year! Aspiring Heroes can also support us by organising fundraisers. In the past, these have included a Zumbathon, bake sales, movie premieres, sporting events and so on. Donors should check if their company provides matching grants, as this is an easy way to double our joy! Sethu has also linked up with organisations in the US and Canada that collect funds on our behalf so that donors can avail of income tax benefit.
What is your heartfelt dream for Sethu? My (and the team's) dream for Sethu is that together with all who share our vision, we can create a state of the art and heart, Child Development Centre for generations to come. This will be a place where people from all walks of life can be assured of the best possible service, where children are always celebrated and everyone is a valuable part of their village. Give us one classical example/story of victory that moved and touched you in a special way. It is so difficult to choose just one story! We are exceptionally privileged to work with children. Day after day, we are witness to miracles which are hidden from the rest of the world as they happen so quietly, far from the news headlines. But these miracles are real and precious in the transformational effects they produce. 3 year-old Aarav, who has autism, says “Mama” for the first time. 5 yearold Karthik, who has ADHD, sets his own timer while doing homework to do, what he calls, 'the Dopamine Dance'. 6 year-old Shradha has learnt to manage her temper and punches pillows instead of her parents. And there is 8 year-old Maya who is severely impacted by disability – she does not walk or talk or even look. So, what is victorious about that? Maya's parents cherish their daughter, caring for her with the utmost devotion, day in and day out. Without complaint or despair, they relentlessly provide her with a life of dignity, comfort and love. These are a few of the many miracles of courage that inspire and motivate me every day. We cannot do it alone – children like Maya, their families and the team at Sethu need people. Each person makes our bridge strong and together, we can help children to rise above the stormy seas of their challenges and cross over to a future filled with possibility and fulfilment.
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Goa's Bird Sanctuary Sonia Filinto, Mumbai India A soft evening breeze blew in from the river as I boarded the ferry boat. Climbing to the driver's deck, I asked him if I could stand there for the duration of the journey. He nodded with a smile and offered me sweets from a local village fair as the ferry left the jetty. The island of Chorao lies along the Mandovi River, five kilometers from Goa's capital, Panaji. The serene ride was an indication of the pace of life in the village, a far cry from busy spots in the tourist state. My destination was the Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary. I didn't have to go far. The entrance to the sanctuary is a few metres away from the jetty in Chorao. After paying the requisite fees, I made my way through what seemed like a maze. The sanctuary covers 440 acres and is located on the western tip of the island. 40 years ago, rice was cultivated here. Neglect of the fields led to the collapse of embankments and the area flooded with salt-water from the sea. Mangroves took life and became home to a large variety of birds – migratory and local. A cobbled two kilometer path winds its way between thick mangroves. Not exactly a bird watcher myself, I
took to soaking in the sights rather than peering around with binoculars. The sun filtered through canopies of thick vegetation. The wet soil was teeming with life.
as the sun surfaced over the river. The tourism department has its own boats but we'd heard that a local resident is quite a knowledgeable guide.
I could feel a living, breathing ecosystem. Although sounds of ferry boats crossing the river filtered in, I was transported to a fantasyland of sorts. There was not a soul around. A few minutes later, a bunch of noisy college kids broke the silence and solitude.
I called Uday Mandrekar the previous evening and made an appointment after settling on a price. Mandrekar lived up to his reputation. What followed was an hour of watching some beautiful winged wonders.
They were armed with fancy cameras and binoculars and pointed excitedly to birds perched on the thick foliage. Unfortunately it was too late to take a boat ride around the estuary. I was told that next morning was a good time for bird watching as the tide would be low, allowing birds to peck the soil for food. Another day, another ferry ride. My companions and I reached Chorao
Migratory ospreys, black headed gulls and quite a few colourful breeds of kingfishers were just a few of the birds that we spotted, all in their morning glory. We crossed paths with fishermen busy at work in the backwaters. Although not as large as other bird sanctuaries in India, what the Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary lacks in size it sure does make up for in charm. The birds are impressed for sure.
Attitudes - Visiting Valentine's Day! While the legends surrounding Valentine's day range from saint to l o v e r, s u r v e y s t e l l u s t h a t approximately 150 million Va l e n t i n e ' s D a y c a r d s a r e exchanged annually, making Valentine's Day the second most popular card-sending holiday after Christmas. If you ask me, who are the main beneficiaries of this romantic day in our calendar, I would like to list them, not in any particular order of importance. There are the florists who expect bumper sales of red roses on the day. Then there are the hotels, offering special 'packages' for this special day. And, not to be
outdone, restaurants offer special menus and rates to attract couples. We should not forget the greeting card vendors, both online and the old-fashioned printed variety. Nightclubs offer an amazing array of prizes to young couples. Of course, naturally, all these activities are designed to attract and entice the young. But what about the young at heart… couples and friends in their 60s, 70s and 80s? Are they to be excluded from Valentine's Day celebrations? No! Don't let your heart skip a beat over that thought. The good news is Valentine's Day is not meant for the significant other, partners only. It
marks the day when we treat our loved ones, whoever they may be, to show them in a special way how much they mean to us. They could be your Grandparents, Parents, siblings or a special friend! So make Valentine's Day a day when we treat those we hold near and dear in a special way – the Valentine way! Maybe seal it with a Valentine hug & a kiss! My wish for all, may love & healthy relationships thrive. Happy Valentine's dear readers! Betsy Pinto Nunes Founder
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My Journey through Widowhood D r. J e a n e t t e Pinto, Mumbai India Jeanette Pinto has been an educator for over five decades. She was former professor of History, and Vice Principal of St. Xavier's College. She retired as Principal of Sophia College Mumbai. She is a counsellor and conductor of Personal Enrichment Programmes for students and teachers. Presently as sex educator she talks on Human Sexuality to thousands of children and young adults. She is also the author of a couple of inspirational books. The year was 1989. My husband unexpectedly passed on after a brief illness. We had two children, both sons, at that time young adults. Suddenly I felt everything fall apart – all our plans, shared responsibility, raising the children and by God's grace enjoying a good life. My world seemed empty, a void I knew that could not be filled by any person. One of the most deeply distressing life events experienced by women, most often in later life is widowhood. It has significant emotional, social and psychological implications. A widow's bereavement is treated lightly and often taken for granted. After my husband's funeral before my eyes were dry, a 'concerned aunt' whispered that I should now wear dark coloured saris. I gave her a vacant look. The following month a kind neighbour had invited me to her daughter's engagement. I was all dressed and ready to leave when
a visitor hinted, that widows should not be present at an engagement. I felt a sudden stab of pain. What has widowhood got to do with all these exteriors? Cruel indeed! I suddenly f e l t a n g r y, a l i e n a t e d , a n d experienced a sense of rejection. In India a woman's identity is linked to that of others – she is someone's daughter as a maiden, and someone's wife when she marries. Right from the moment she loses her husband she loses her identity, and is considered a non-person in society. People surreptitiously dictate how a widow should dress, how she should behave, what customs she must follow etc. I felt disgust for the traditional customs and forbidding talk. What have I done wrong? It seemed I had lost my individuality in the absence of my husband. In such a situation how can any widow find happiness? I became defiant and now began to search for new meaning in my life. I prayed and spent time with Jesus. I poured out my woes, and soon to my joy I found hope in John 10:10 “I came that they may have life and have it in abundance.” As I reread the sentence my husband seemed to whisper, “You are a free spirit, do what you like best to be happy. Don't let rules and regulations strangle you. Move on.” I decided to find new purpose to my life. I was a lecturer in History at St. Xavier's College but the Holy Spirit opened the door to Pro-life issues. I began to delve deeper into “the preciousness of life' and the 'dignity of the human being', which has tremendous significance. I also joined a widow's support group called 'Hope & Life.' Soon I was moving from one good thing to
a n o t h e r. I c o n q u e r e d t h e victimization, made new friends, reached out to others, enjoyed parties, picnics, and grabbed the happiness which is rightfully mine. God has created us to be happy human beings. I began giving Prolife talks, writing inspirational articles and voila! By His grace, I began writing books, the first being 'The Indian Widow - From Victim to Victor.' The care, concern and love of my sons Ian and Glenn helped me in the grieving process. I shared my unseen pain and they empathized with me. Soon they saw me busy, vibrant and actively involved in outreach, writing and feeling fulfilled. They were happy to see their 'busy bee' mother glowing. We continue to celebrate the birthday of my husband Ivor, thus keeping his spirit alive in our memories. Today they are well settled, happily married and have children. My daughters-in-law are my best friends, and my four grandchildren are my jewels. We are a happy Navratna family. What more can I ask for? Widowhood is a challenge; it has to be faced with freedom, courage and determination. Decide to live life again. Widows can spend their time offering comfort, support to younger widows. They can befriend, reach out to the less fortunate, and help make this world a better place. Truly, widowhood is a new vocation. Widows are called to work for God's kingdom, and to be life-giving. Today as I look back, I find that I am no longer a victim but a victor in my widowhood status. My journey through widowhood continues to be a happy, joyful one.
Se arch & You shall Find 1. NO SPEND Weekend? Here are some 50 free activities
http://www.thewalletmoth.com/50-free-activities/
2. Mindfulness meditation to promote general health or dealing with specific emotions. https://www.mindful.org/mindfulstop-10-guided-practices-2017/ 3. Mental Floss is a cool website which tells you the hidden stories behind the popular happenings around the world. They cover everything from science to history to technology to pop culture. Prepare your mind to be blown away by learning fascinating facts and hidden elements behind things which you thought you already know of. http://www.mentalfloss.com/
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Unconquered: Reflecting on the Invictus Games Karen Widling, Canada Karen is an elementary school teacher, mother of two and the wife of an a v i o n i c s technician in the Canadian Air Force. She enjoys baking, sewing, swimming, playing ukulele and singing.She recently joined her local chapter of the Canadian Military Wives Choir with whom she had the incredible opportunity to perform at the Opening Ceremonies of the third Invictus G a m e s h e l d i n To r o n t o i n September 2017. Some of those soldiers had lost limbs, almost all had lost friends, and every one of them, without exception, had experienced as a result of combat what I hope never to know: a near total loss of hope and spirit. That night they looked out at us, not in despair, but in the throes of joy and high spirits. That night they weren't injured. They weren't lost or hopeless. That night they were made champions by their own efforts; they were elevated by sport and emboldened by competition. That night, at the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games, those injured soldiers banded together and showed us that in unifying, it is possible to overcome the worst: the loss of hope and the destruction of the spirit. But that isn't my story. My story is much less exciting, less glamorous. It's the story of a wife away from her husband. It's the story of a woman
alone at home with the children. As it happens, it's the story that most military wives will tell. And yet, it's a story of combat just the same. In this story, the wives of military men keep the castle walls while their husbands are overseas or are posted elsewhere. They run the day-to-day operations, they make sure that the bills are paid, the children are fed, the cars are running. They work. And they do it alone. Although they exist in a large community, military wives have trouble finding meaningful friendships because they have been brought together by the circumstances of their husbands. What they have in common with other wives, mostly, is that their husbands are soldiers, but often that isn't enough. It wasn't enough for me, and although my husband and I were finally living together after a long period of being apart, I still felt that loneliness that comes from living too much inside your own life. I needed friends, people outside of my relationship that shared my struggle and knew what it was like to be a military wife. It's difficult to overstate my excitement when, at the beginning of this year, it was announced that the Trenton chapter of the Canadian Military Wives Choir was recruiting. I have always been a singer; I grew up singing in my school choir and at social gatherings in Nigeria, then continued to sing when my family moved to Canada. As I got older and became more involved in my education, work and with family life it became more difficult to find time for music. Still I knew that this choir
would be the solution to my problem; a perfect balance between what I loved to do and what I needed in terms of friendship. As the months passed, the ladies of the choir became more than friends. They became my “singing sisters” and they became “aunties” to my children. I found out that being a part of a group of women who supported each other could be the keystone of my sanity. It meant the end of a loneliness I had felt for a long time. On the night of the 23rd of September we stood on stage behind Laura Wright and sang the backup vocals to her song “Invincible” with 190 members of the Canadian Military Wives choirs from around the country. We looked out at those soldiers, those men and women who had conquered injuries both physical and mental, those men and women who had overcome broken spirits. Looking at them, I understood what the Invictus Games were for; they were a celebration of man's victory over despondency. And that's a struggle that we will all, at one point or another, engage in.
Tips for Writing Exams Frieda Albuquerque, Goa, India Frieda is a teacher with four decades of counseling experience. The month of March spells nervousness among students as their fate hangs in balance, between success and failure. It is only the students who have
prepared themselves well who feel confident and look forward to exams as the real part of their achievement. It is just like an athlete who has trained with great focus and unfailing discipline looking towards the finals with great expectations. Nervousness and uncertainty of success are still part
of the game, which positively affect the outcome. The following pointers on how to face exams are useful for students who have not neglected their studies; those who have attended school regularly and have prepared continued on page 6
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themselves adequately. In spite of the preparation it is natural to feel anxious and nervous. The tips below will help proceed with the task, write systematically and hand over the answer sheets confidently.
the question. If required take help from them. 2.
The Day before the Exam 1.
Reach for your ultimate preparation and alertness for the exam time.
2.
Focus and super-charge your mind.
3.
Remember the main points of your notes, reviewing what the teacher has emphasized to charge your memory.
4.
Get some sleep! Don't stay up all night if you want to be alert. You reach a point where your productivity declines anyway, so sleep to refresh your mind to face the next morning.
The Exam Day 1.
Arrive early for the exam with all the supplies you will need such as pencils and pens, and all the other prescribed materials. This helps you focus on the task at hand.
2.
Be comfortable but alert. Choose a good spot or occupy the assigned place, maintain a comfortable posture and concentrate on the task ahead.
3.
Stay relaxed and Confident. Remind yourself that you are well-prepared and are going to do well. If you feel nervous, take several slow, deep breaths to relax. Do not talk with others or do anything to distract yourself that will increase your anxiety and render the mind blank.
Writing Exam 1.
Read the questions and directions carefully. This may be obvious, but it will help you avoid careless errors. A clear and comprehensive understanding of the questions is the key to produce the right answers. Note key terms, jot down brief notes for the purpose. Do not attempt to write an answer when the question is not clear. Generally the invigilators are advised to help to clear doubts regarding the meaning of terms used in
3.
Answer questions in strategic order. First easy questions to build confidence, score points, and mentally orient yourself to vocabulary, concepts, and your studies. It may help you make associations with more difficult questions. Then difficult questions or those with the most point values. With objective tests, first eliminate those answers you know to be wrong, or are likely to be wrong, don't seem to fit, or where two options are so similar as to be both incorrect. With essay/ subjective questions, broadly outline your answer and sequence the order of your points
4.
Review. Resist the urge to leave as soon as you have completed all the questions. Review your answers to make sure that you have answered all questions and solved all the problems, not miss-marked the question numbers, or made some other simple mistakes. Proof-read the writing for spelling, grammar, punctuation, decimal points, etc.
5.
Win the heart of your examiner with a good hand. You must remember that your evaluator has stacks of answer papers to correct. The only way you can please him and influence him to award you better marks is to give him pleasant writing which he will go through easily and reward you with pleasure.
6.
Do not “second-guess” yourself and change your original answers. Research has indicated that your first hunch is more likely to be correct. You should only change answers to questions if you originally misread them or if you have encountered information elsewhere in the test that indicates with certainty that your first choice is incorrect.
7.
Hand-Over. Now that you have done what you could do best. Handover your answer paper
with a prayer in your heart and gratitude to God. Dealing with Exam Anxiety The first sign of a problem while preparing for an exam is worry. Worry robs us of energy, focus and motivation. If we can eliminate worries, or at least control them, then we are in a much better position to do well in our exams. There are three ways to deal with worry. 1.
Remove the causes. What causes you anxiety when you are studying? Too much noise? Then move to a quieter place. Procrastination? Catch up with your studies a couple of nights before. That way you can save the final night before the exam to review and get a good night's sleep.
2.
Displace thoughts. Suppose you wake up in the middle of the night and you are worried about an exam. What do you do? How about getting up and studying for an hour? Doing something productive might allow you to sleep better when you finally do go back to bed. Another way to displace negative thoughts is to do something physically active. Take a quick walk or take a run. Another idea is to think positive thoughts. For example, I might worry about the exam having surprise questions that I am not prepared to answer. But I can shove those thoughts aside by reminding myself that I have taken many exams and I have handled surprise questions before.
3.
Treat the symptoms. Keep things in perspective. Now think of the worst thing that could happen. If you have not prepared. Do not panic but take help.
Conclusion Remember that you are not alone. There are many people who are concerned about your exams. There are your parents, brothers, sisters, teachers, friends and relatives. They all do whatever they can and also pray for you. With these sentiments I wish you success in your exams. Come out with flying colours!
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Train of Thought Nicola Coutinho, Hamburg Germany I am currently riding Line 3 of the Subway (U-Bahn) in Hamburg. As little canals and post-card pretty trees whizz by, I suddenly have an AHA-moment! Trains have always been a huge part of my life! As a kid, in Goa, India; when steam trains were still the mainstay; one of my favorite father- daughter activities was visiting the rickety train station five minutes away from our house. I was fascinated no end by the billowing smokes, the toot-toot of the train and the deafening roar as the wheels chugged into charcoal-driven motion. My charismatic father almost always managed to befriend the driver who then gave us a proud tour of his tools and mean machine.
When I left home for University, I sometimes took the train and managed to meet interesting people on my travels. A Tanzanian boy I still keep in touch with, a British Backpacker who cried when I offered him half my bacon sandwich and a strongly opinionated Indian family who tried to hook me up with their very awkward son, who I am not sure was interested in women. I have lost count of the train trips I've taken with friends and my Basketball team, where we stayed up the night playing pranks, singing and being a nuisance. One night on a train I never took before, by some freaky workings of the universe, I met a stranger whom I madly fell in love with. 4 years later, he chose to propose to me, on; you guessed right; another night train. Interestingly, my father-in-law is crazy about trains and has constructed his own adult-train-play- station in the garden. His trains are the marvel of the neighborhood and the envy of every kid passing by. July 2016, in Shanghai, we took the super-fast magnetic Maglev train. Watching the speedometer zoom to over 300 km/hr within the first minute, had me both awed and sick!
We took a yearly holiday to different parts of India, well connected by rail and road (flights at the time were beyond our budget and only a rare luxury). Every station we halted at always had the most tempting aromas, the most delicious assortment of foods and very often a bunch of rowdy monkeys, waiting to steal anything you weren't guarding.
brings me. Of course, unlike in India, I can't stick my head out and enjoy the breeze distorting my face. It is dangerous, I know. But I did it all the same (in India). Oh, what joy forbidden fruit brings!
The trams in both Calcutta (India) and Basel (Switzerland), seem to transport me to a by-gone era where life operated at a much slower pace. Riding the local trains in Mumbai is another harrowing, exhilarating, nerveracking and joyous experience all bundled into one. It is definitely NOT for the faint-hearted. Trains in Germany- right from the subways to the ICEs- (Intercity Express) have a way calmer and more orderly demeanor. I love riding them and often do so, just for the sheer joy it
Now as my train ride comes to a gentle halt, I reflect on the man responsible for introducing me to these wonderful machines- my father. How fitting that today, 3 months since he passed, I had my AHA moment and realized trains have taught me much about life: Ÿ
To keep moving, preferably forward, no matter what.
Ÿ
That life's journeys bring you to different stations; good, bad, ugly, and heavenly. You choose where to get on or off.
Ÿ
Trains have evolved from being coal powered to electric, magnetic and even self-driven.
There's always room for improvement! Thank you Dada.
Some Thoughts on Teachers Dr. Elaine Charles, Mumbai India WHAT TEACHERS ARE TO STUDENTS 'Teachers are to students, what sunshine is to flowers. They help them blossom and bloom.' 'A caring teacher hands children their passport to the future'. 'A good teacher is one who can make you feel good about who you are, yet inspire you to become, al! that you can
be.' Somewhere today is a teacher.... stirring imagination into the fire that lights up the dreams of youth.... planting the seeds of character, that bloom in great service to mankind. A TEACHER REFLECTS…….. "I have come to the frightening conclusion, that I am the most decisive element in the classroom. It is my personal approach that
creates the climate, my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I have the power To make a child's life miserable or joyous. I can humiliate or humour, I can hurt or heal. I can be at my worst or at my best. At my worst I judge personality and character, At my best, I address myself to a child's situation."
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