Another Children's day celebration wafts in, with deep introspection and time for stock taking.

With 27 years gone by just chasing deadlines, correcting term papers, lining marks registers with blue and red pens, report cards, PTM's, pacifying tantrums of guardians and their wards alike, mixed emotions of being thrilled at the success and deeply saddened at the loss of young voices silenced by cruel fate. At home, I had multiple slots...Of a will do wife, an un-motherly sort of a mother, a not so efficient daughter-in-law, an approved dog-mother by canines-within and without etc., but my role in school hid my warts and transformed an ugly duckling into a ...uh ..well...duck (swan would be going over the top!).

It was students old and new who accepted me as I am. Their faces revealed all; bright and eager when I was articulate and interesting and switching off outright if I was not making sense to them.

The young and forever restless crowd taught me one thing. They have immense patience if you talk to them more than teach and preach. They want examples from real life scenario, not lessons delivered monotonously with chalk and talk method. They could read lessons from the book themselves or attend the ever mushrooming tutorials but the pleasurable experience savoured in the classroom with friends to laugh with,lasts a life time.

I have learned to admire the energy reserves and multi-tasking ways of the young. The lack of duality and absence of double-speak in their lives makes them so honest and sincere that I feel I don't have to play safe and be diplomatic at all. In fact living with young minds is therapeutic. It purges all toxins within me (well..some stubborn ones remain). No wonder prolonged vacations are injurious to health. Maybe I could not give them enough, maybe I broke a few dreams by not being flexible.

These thoughts come creeping by quite often, increasing my helplessness for there is no way I can express my regret except by making sure I erase worry-lines, wounds and bruises from now on.

Thank you, dear angels (which at times you tend to spell angles) for being my movers and shapers, keeping me savvy on technology, fitness, fashion, humour and rumour too. What more can one ask!