A lesson learnt

I f you ever get an opportunity to attend a program on an Environmental Awareness issue, try your best NOT TO UTILIZE THE OPPORTUNITY. Instead, sit at home and enjoy the programmes on TV…. Or just sleep…..Give any excuse for not going…..

Why am I saying all this?? Because last week, we were informed by one of our school teachers that there would be a program to celebrate World Environment Day 2007 (which is on 5th June) in advance. The students who had got the highest marks in Environmental Education from each class would be given an award. We would be taken to Khardah Rabindra Bhavan (abt 20 kms from Kolkata) and would return to our school by 4 o’ clock in the evening. The date was 19th May, 2007, Saturday ( today). So, this morning, my mother dropped me to school. But, only 14 students went to Khardah. I was a bit surprised. Why didn’t the other students want to go and receive their award? But, they did just the right thing by not going. When the awards were being given, we learnt that we would not be getting individual awards. Our school would be getting an award for “Outstanding Achievement to Environment and Nature”. And, the teacher who had informed us abt this program, would be getting an award herself.

So, what did we do there? We listened to the speeches of 6-7 guests ( each speech lasting for a minimum of 20 minutes). Obviously, they talked about the ways to save our environment, not to use plastic, not to fix signboards on trees, …….. They even showed their MS-PowerPoint presentations. But, all that didn’t interest us. They were so BORING!! So boring, that one of our students said that he would try not to get the highest marks in Environmental Education again!

We learnt a very good lesson today. I would request you all to listen to this little advice of mine. Please don’t attend these type of functions in future, whether you are supposed to receive an award or not. You’ll obviously get your award somehow. The organizers will send it to you. If you are interested in saving Mother Earth, do all you can. But, don’t attend these programs, NEVER…..

"The most disappointing day of my life"

Three days back, we had been asked to write an essay at our English tuition class. The topic was “ The most disappointing day of my life.” Initially, the essay may seem really easy to write. But, once you write down the title, and make a move to write down the first word, the most difficult part of the essay pinches you hard. Which was the most disappointing day of your life?? Again, you may think that there have been many disappointing days in your life. So, that’s not a very difficult question. But, it is. It becomes really difficult to choose one day as the most disappointing one of your life.

The result was that 15 students started pondering hard, trying to figure out the day when they had been really hurt. When our teacher asked us the reason for which we were sitting , one boy named Ankit said that there is no disappointing day in his life!! Our teacher said, “ No disappointing day! Such a lucky guy, are you?” This was told very lightly, but what she said next confused us even more. After five minutes or so, we would have to read out the part of our essay which we had written. So, everyone at least started writing something( No matter what it was). Finally, I decided to merge a few incidents together to make up the most disappointing day of my life. I merged very minor incidents together . But, the focus was on one significant incident. My father had applied for a transfer to Kolkata after being posted at Guntur for two years. But, his plea had been rejected. So, he had to live in Guntur for another year.

Now, let me ask you the same question: Which was the most disappointing day of your life? Do let me know this. Also let me know whether you founf this question difficult or not.