Never Cry Again

Kolkata, the city of joy, as the name suggests, is expected to be inhabited by jovial people with happiness oozing out from every face, where liveliness of the people lends life to the atmosphere around such that one can breathe the gaiety in the air. Usha Uthup, in an ode to her favorite city sings, “Shohorer rani go amra tomay jani go, tumi je maya rupkatha”. But times have changed, fight for survival is getting fierce with time. The gaiety has evaporated from the city’s atmosphere. We find the courteous, happy faces being replaced by gloomy ones burdened with the pressure of survival. Instead of lavish zamindars we have malnourished urchins crowding the streets. It seems that the mechanical engineers from the IITs are giving a run to the ‘humane’ aspect of human beings, as apparently more and more robots are produced under the human skin.
However, my objective is not to focus on the plights of the Kolkatans, but a particular aspect of student psychology, that is closely linked to the present mood of the society. Depressed, hung down faces, with tears rolling down the cheeks on OUR LAST DAY IN SCHOOL. We cry to our heart’s content to mourn over this day, we fear separation from our teachers who had been a source of inspiration throughout, our friends who constitute an integral part of our days and nights, and on top of all, the pain of being cast away from a building that has served as our second home for the last 15 years of our life.
Here in lies my objection. Why to lament on a day which aspires to be a day of our lifetime. The days to follow would possibly lead us to a never ending saga of struggle. All of a sudden we are exposed to the possible hardships of the mortal life, as if at the end of a smooth journey we suddenly find ourselves at the edge of an abyss. If we balance ourselves, we are destined for prosperity, otherwise absolute destruction. At this crucial juncture, shall allow emotions to take precedence which eventually follows up to a squalid future? Shall we allow time to guide us like depressed commoners or attempt to take over the reigns of destiny from time in our own hands?
We claim the school to be our second home, our friends are no less than our family, teachers are given no less respect than our parents. But how many of us wish to whine in pain during the dusk of our life? None. Then why shall we walk out of school for the last time as students with gloomy, depressed faces as our final memories? We lament of separation from friends. But, is the basement on which we build structures of love and friendship, where every brick is our every bit of faith, weak enough to be toppled by momentary separation? Is the bond that binds us not strong enough to withstand the executioner’s axe. ‘One for all and all for one’ is what we believe in and will believe forever. Then why fear loosing friends? Would the respect for our teachers evaporate with the course of time? No, our feelings are not superficial.
Memories are an individual’s greatest asset with which we , an asset with which we never have to part with till our last breathe. Similarly, the cherished memories of our school days, the funniest and saddest of events, each and every corner of the building would be deep engraved in our heart. Oblivion, I am sure, would never succeed to separate us from these fond memories. More over, will not the school authority be kind enough to allow it’s loyal ex students to have an occasional glimpse of their ‘second home’, to revamp their treasured memories and to feel the feel of the atmosphere they had spent their prime in?
The D- day is not to lament but for taking resolution to be achievers. The inspiration from our teachers, love of friends and memories of our beloved school should no longer be our weakness, but a moral boost. There can be no better homage to our teachers than to materialize the dreams they have of our prosperity, no better way to express gratitude to our friends than to justify their faith in our abilities. Like Athos, Porthos and Aramis, we will always vie for “ALL FOR ONE, ONE FOR ALL”.