Saturday, April 6, 2013

"F" for "Friends and Farewells"

There was a silly or may be not so silly quote which some one scribbled in my slam book when I left school which I can never forget.


                                            "We cannot search towel when there is soap in eyes.
                                             We cannot smile when there are good byes!"

I know it is silly but some cute junior wrote this and I treasured it.I had a back street boys themed slam book which is one of my dearest possessions.I spent last 3 months of school filling only the slam books skipping the records, compositions and practice tests. Filling different details was so much fun.I flip through pages of my book when ever I feel little low. It instantly rejuvenates me to know that many people felt so good about me even with out the slightest efforts from my side " to be good"! Now may be I try hard or may be people are so full of them selves that appreciation comes very rarely.
Image source:"here"

 Now we have this awesome "A to Z" event and hence I have so many readers due to which I am bubbling with enthusiasm day by day and it motivates me to write more but usually many times my blog is like a barren land ! Readership is definitely an asset to a writer and the footprints we leave on others blogs if acknowledged are felt more good but some people are just too occupied or they don't bother. I used to religiously read few blogs but stopped after I understood they never gave a flying monkey. Everything is linked to marketing these days! Anyway I don't want to make this one sound like a rambling. Only thing is the bliss I felt after reading the comments and replying back reminded me the good old days when I used to write on paper with pen!

I used to write random one liners and four liners and was so fond of English language that I was always hyper active in the class and my English teacher Rezina madam was always impressed by my vocabulary and naturally she liked me! Her husband was a journalist and one day it seems she showed my answer sheet to him. He replied to her that I will for sure do something different and interesting as I am creative! I am not actually doing a creative job 24 * 7 but I am glad I followed her advise and kept fueling my creativity even if it was slow and steady! She told all this to me on last but one day and I still remember how good and odd I felt as I would no longer go to my school!

We were going in groups to get our slam books scribbled by teachers. Each and every scribble is near to heart. The most memorable one is below by a favorite primary school teacher who almost was in tears when she bid me farewell much to the envy of few other classmates. I am still in touch with her.

The lines she wrote

" You came like a bud.
  You are leaving like a fully bloomed rose.
  I wish and pray the fragrance of that rose freshens you every day.
  I wish you achieve whatever you want and remain the same like you are today!"

Needless to say I cried after reading it. I was attached to her. I didn't cry when she hugged and wished me. Slowly as it dawned on me that I wont be seeing them daily I felt empty. I cried reading the slam book again and again at home. My mom was worried looking at me as no one cried that much. No one must have cried like me but I dreaded the future. I was an achiever there. I had people who loved me . I loved them. It was selfless . It was unconditional. The nook and corner of the school haunted me as I left .The ground , the assembly area , the staff room , the ice candy corner, the church every thing is crystal clear in my mind!

My School St.Xaviers- Ongole

Time took its toll and I am not sure If I remain the same person I was in school, like my teacher wanted to but her wish definitely freshens me up many times . There are many more memorable scribbles but if I keep jotting it will make up to 3-4 posts. Hence I am stopping here and ending this post with a poem dedicated to all dear friends , teachers and classmates. Taking liberty to copy the idea from my teachers notes. She for sure will not mind ;)


"The Fare-well Trance"

I came like a rose bud which has thorns and remains closed.
With your efforts I opened up , bloomed and smiled broad.
You did not mind the thorns which attacked you now and then.
We became close friends for life and I don't remember from when!

You smiled at my silly jokes and were ready to take any risk for me.
You vouched for my talent and gave me courage to dream and see.
We never missed a chance to bunk a class and laze around.
 I shall always treasure the never ending conversations in the school ground.

We played book cricket and maintained score records when the lecture was boring.
We silently and intently gazed back at the sir when he started staring.
You were my backbone, my soul-sister and my partner in crime.
 Aah! Those silly joys when we rang the church bells and enjoyed the coherent chime.

 You are my favorite teacher and I loved the subject only to gain a pat.
 The struggle to score highest in that subject now looks like a silly combat.
 There were no worries about my shape or curves or of being obese.
 The only worry was to get best candy, the supplies of which after first 5 minutes of recess cease!

 Time flew and we grew and so were the complexities of life.
 There was some more competition and the day to day strife.
 Every one wore flashy sarees and sang to their hearts content.
 I was not content and could not talk, sing or dance.
 I was lost and the only term to describe it was "Farewell-trance!"

The flood of memories with a small poke come out bubbling.
The journey down the memory lane is always energizing!



This is my 6th post for  "A to Z blogging Challenge 2013" !
Happy reading :)

29 comments:

  1. Oh, don't remind me of our farewell..........we sobbed and how...........Jesus! I've never cried so much in my entire life. It was one of the reasons I went back to school to form my school alumni.

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  2. Loved the poem. The last day of school was bitter-sweet. So glad for FB - I have linked up with so many classmates I thought I'd never see again. And school re-unions are so much fun.

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    Replies
    1. @Blogwati Gee : Yeah. We met only twice after getting separated. Good U organised a proper alumni . I too never cried so much

      @Suzy : Ya FB is a boon in that way.....Thanks for dropping by

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  3. Oh, I hate farewells. I don't know why people who meet should part. Life is weird! School's farewell makes me all misty-eyed.

    Good topic Afshan!

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    Replies
    1. Ya school memories always leave me misty eyed !

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  4. Your post took me down the memory lane. Reading these slam books is so fun now. Every Diwali when I do this major cleaning, I forget cleaning for a while and am lost in reading, remembering those fun days of school and college! Like that quote you mentioned in the beginning... have so many of these kinds in my slam books too :D

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    Replies
    1. @Nandana : Ya I didnt mind farewells in intermediate :P 2yrs was not a very grt bond but school's farewell was somethng which had a long lasting effect on me
      THanks nandana


      @Shilpa: Glad U cud revive ur memories. Same Pinchhhh ! when ever mom used to say to clear my room. I happily fish these books and my diaries out and forget about cleaning

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  5. Oh, I remember those books (I didn't know they were called slam books. we used to call them something else which I can't remember). We used to decorate them ourselves and make all 50 of us write in it! Lovely memories!

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    1. Autograph/ slam books . I also dont remember if there is some other name. Yeah I used to decorate mine. Specially I used to draw some thing for few special people. It can be any thing from smiley to mine and her doodle :)

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  6. U GO GIRL,
    Love the poem Afshu.
    I really miss our school days... fun days....:((
    ( * i am trying hard to hold back my tears while typing this dearie...)

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    Replies
    1. Loved talking to U today !
      Its so refreshing to revive these memories
      Love all the way back to U Hema. Glad U read :)

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  7. You stirred somany sweet memories of school days! Are you in touch with the teacher? I am sure she'll be mighty proud of your creativity in your blogs:-)

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    1. Yep she has an idea I write but she never must have read my blog as such. Not a geeky person :) Thanks Aarti

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  8. Afshan, I loved my slam book so much, I used to carry it about with me everywhere I went. And then someone stole my bag one day. The monster of a chor took my wallet and my slam book and threw the rest of the bag away. I was so hurt. Nice post and nice poem.

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    Replies
    1. THats bad ! He could have left the slam book atleast. Grrrrrr
      Its really hurting .... I understand and like now it was not online then to revive :(
      Anyway thanks for reading and commenting

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  9. I went to 6 schools and my college was the longest time I stayed at a place. I only remember sambhaling my saree in my 10th farewell. :-P But thanks for FB, I'm back in touch with old friends. :-)

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  10. I went to too many schools to really feel bad at my school farewell. College was very different. Thanks for the memories.

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  11. Aawww you made me all teary eyed girl !

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  12. Beautiful poem...though we had cried then...we are still in touch with each other. Yes, the school days always remain memorable.

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  13. @Journaloframbles : I was so scared to wear a saree. My friends wore half sarees and sarees. I went in a ghagra if I remember :P I wore saree only in grad

    @sridevi : Awwwwwwwwwww !! No worries good to remember them in a good way. Hv a grt time

    @Janu : Ya I am in touch with few but I feel like planning a trip to school now.


    @corinne: Thanks for dropping by. Am sure u must hv rocked in college :)

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  14. Aw, what a lovely thing your teacher wrote! :-) I think my high school yearbook served the purpose of a slam book, sort of. And I know what you mean about bloggers not reciprocating - it can be difficult to visit back other people's blogs, especially during the A to Z Challenge, but if folks don't at least make an effort with me, I'm less inclined to keep visiting back.
    Some Dark Romantic

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    1. ya true. We lose interest when some one doesnt drop by !!
      Good U cud remember ur high school too :) Thanks for dropping by Mina Lobo
      Good luck with challenge

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  15. That's a lovely thing your teacher wrote. I think my high school yearbook served a similar purpose to your slam book.

    I'm also less inclined to keep visiting blogs when the bloggers don't make any effort to visit me at all.
    Some Dark Romantic

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  16. Tell you what your F...gave me the idea for my G.....Thanks a lot...English teachers can be all kinds of awesome...can't they...
    -Ayush

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    Replies
    1. Ya I know I got many ideas like that ;)
      Ya English TEACHERS Rock !
      waiting to read ur G

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  17. Hi , popping in a bit late from AtoZ
    just looking through your posts!
    what a great mixture of thoughts and subjects!
    I hope you're really enjoying it ;)

    auntyamo
    http://ficticiousamo.wordpress.com/

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  18. @Fictiousamo: Thanks for caring to reply !
    All the best to u too

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  19. What a lovely post, Afshan! I met a few classmates in Dec 2011 and was touched to see that my friend still had the letters and autograph I wrote in her book.

    Wonderful memories.

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  20. @Vidya : Thanks !
    ya they r the most treasurable things na

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