The Grin

The beginning of the blog was accompanied with the beginning of a new day for me as a teacher. Yes. My penchant for kids was so irresistible that I decided to teach the children of lower income groups. There’s no denying to the fact that kids are always filled with kind of energy that intrigues you-intrigues your eyes while your eyes start to press you to smile-a complacent grin.

The first two kids were Monu and Nisha. Now if you think such kids are intellectually weak or uninterested in studies, you are in a universe of nescience. They are bright, diligent and I confide in their capabilities. I would be proud to see what my nation could be like in the years to follow if we manage to abate the high-school dropout rates bydiverting a trifle of funds from the sectors like the nuclear sector for a better education system.
While talking to them I asked what they wanted to be when they grow up. Their eyes shined, eager to show me what they could see through their eyes for their future. I was hypnotized by the constant wide grin on their face. “A pilot!” Monu answered. I couldn’t have been more overwhelmed. I didn’t want this statement to be an irony in any way – a child from lower middle class, with meager facilities but intense curiosity, dreams to fly and explore the cosmos of what all he could do from up there. In fact I was right in believing that every child dreams and rejoices in a similar manner and hence,each child is equal in the eyes of God.I recalled one of my train journeys when I was looking through the window and saw a village girl waving a goodbye to all the passengers from her little beautiful hut. The village was remotely located so I’m not sure if she had ever been to school. After an hour I reached a town. It was sheer co-incidence but enough to make me gape when I saw a school boy going back home. While going home he saw the train coming and started waving his hands bidding  goodbye-hisfacelightedupwitheuphoriawhileplayingthisgame**.**AtthesametimeIcouldsensehishappinessofgoinghome,reflectedthroughthegleaminhiseyes. It was thought-provoking how every child finds happiness in more or less the same trivial matters unbiased of  gender, caste and race. Who is man to categorize or disparage them and choose aspirations for them?

Nisha yearns to be a teacher-an art teacher. Again, I saw the similar confidence in her to paint her world herself and to guide others paint theirs, to choose the flamboyant colours from the palette of her life and not be intertwined in society norms to end up drawing an incomplete silhouette.

The next time I met them, I gifted them pens of their favourite colours to motivate them to follow their dreams. Their reaction was priceless. Their facial expression filled  me  with content  and satisfaction**.** It was the curve that made all the difference -their grin.