I knew she would be the woman of substance--An address to parents leaving their child at FLAME

I knew she would be the woman of substance

As I watched her leave me

A part of my heart went with her bags I had packed and unpacked for her

A part of my soul was with her to protect her from dangers

A part of her memories were all packed in my tear bags

Yet I knew she was flying away to be woman of substance

Days seemed easy to pass .being occupied in my work

The nights seemed impossible,

 Unable hide behind work

And the Tear bag would burst open with the memory of her

I had no one rushing to me and hugging me and saying “Good night Pappa”!

Every night, she and her brother would lie on either side

Draw an imaginary boundary vertically and fight over which half of me belonged to them

Every night saying she wants a long drive in my little car

Now I had a big car but not her to take for a drive

Yet I knew she was flying away to be woman of substance

I had learnt from my father, children never learn by listening

They always learn by watching

So instead of focusing on what you say

Focus on what you do

The best way to draw a child’s attention is to sit comfortably he said

And my child was special

Just like yours is

A unique work of Art

Created by God

I love my child the way she is

Because I knew she will grow up to be the woman of substance

Breaking away from your child for a while

Is the best gift we can give it

It helps them explore

Fumble

Fall

Get up

Adjust

Learn

Unlearn

Build Character

And above all become a human being of substance

So don’t worry Ladies & gentleman

This is the place where we build character

We are all parents first and then teachers

We understand your pain

And your anxiety

But your child is in safe hands

Go back home with the secure thought that

2 or 4 years from now

Your child is going to cry too, leaving us

And we will cry too leaving your child

For our job will be well done

In making them human beings of Substance

Citizens you are proud of

Responsible enough to take care of you.

That’s what FLAME embodies

Go back with a smile

But hug your child and tell her
“I love you”

Don’t turn your back

For if you do

The Tear bag of memories will give way

You will weaken and

They will weaken too...

Go back home home

Thank your child for trusting you

Pat yourself for a job well done

Go back home

For your child too will be a human being of substance!

Present but Absent

Present but absent

Present at a social gathering

Unable to handle my mind’s gathering

Present but absent...

Present with someone I care for

Unable to tell them I care

Absent but Present

Present with my tears

Rolling down my cheeks

No one to wipe my tears,

Except my salty palms

Present but absent

Present in the creation

Of an idea that will take off

If it fails, the failure will be mine

If it succeeds, the Presents will be for others

Present but Absent

Present in my heart

Thoughts of you every hour

It’s your absence that

Makes you present by the hour

Absent but Present

Present in the rain

Absent in the sunshine

Absent in the rain

Present in the sunshine

Either ways, human beings use an Umbrella,

Not realising that only that part of their large sky is covered from them

Stupidity in absence

Smartness in presence

Present but Absent

Choose to be present

Yet be absent

Choose to be absent

Yet be Present

The beginning of a failing relationship

Look for the signs when someone you love

Pretends to be present when absent

Pretends to be absent when present

The love is

Absent but Present

Parag Shah

12^th July’11

From a Father and a Teacher to his child and his students

Being a Parent!

If you have never experienced the feeling of being hated by your child… you have never been a parent...

We as parents think that only our children grow... we seem to forget that we grow too... I have always believed that I cannot tell my son to reach for the sky... I can only try to reach my Son...

Sometimes I feel, I should have spent more time building my daughters self-esteem, then building my business..

I wish I’d let her curl her hand around my fingers then wasting my time pointing fingers at her

I wish I’d commented less and connected to her more often

I wish I’d told her more often “I Love you. When she returned home after curfew hours , then stared angrily at the watch”

I wish I had serious fun with her , then just being serious

I wish I’d done more hugging and less nagging..

Good Education: 

If you are looking to improve your standard of living by way of education, there is no way it will improve your quality of life…

But of you are looking to improve your quality of life, it’s the sure shot way of improving your  standard of living! That is what good education should be about...

A student once told his teacher:

Tell me and I am sure to forget.

Show me and I am sure to remember.

Involve me and I am going to understand.

A fleeting moment of weakness

A fleeting moment of weakness

A moment once met a story.

The story smiled and said I was once you Mr “Moment”!

Mr.  Moment said, you gave me a meaning.

A definition and the memory of a life time.

The story said, I wish you had not come …

In your coming, there is a death of possibilities

And definiteness of events..

I wish you had not come…

But the Mr. Moment said, you would not exist if I did not come..

You would not have many glories to share, many wisdoms to offer..

Nor the experience of a gentle hand kissing your hand,

The falling of a leave and the fragrance of a flower

The gentleness of a hand held forever..

Would this all have happened ?

If it were not for me??..

The story said, I also have a million stories of hurt  and sadness you brought

The humiliation of many

Who worked hard selflessly

Who gave their lives for a cause

And in one moment of decisiveness ,  sent off in exile..

Do you understand the pain of a man?

Lonely, unloved and hated?

The anguish and the humiliation?

In an unknown country

Unknown faces

Lonely in a dark, cold room?

The smiles on those who felt victory engulf them for a man vanquished…

And in a moment of sadness

You came like a thunderbolt

He could share his pain with no one

He swallowed his pride

Felt weak and small and inadequate…

The thunderbolt turned in to a moment of complete silence

And he died…he is no more..

I wish, you had not come in all your fury

And let the man live

A moment converted into a story!


The moment turned around and said
As if its in my hands!

Parag Shah.

July 4^th 2011. 5.04 a,m