The day! Gaze

Today it was wonderful to discuss forest with children,they asked for a story and I told them about my father's Himalayan village. The swift brook we had to cross to reach the two-storied mud house, the tiny transparent fish that I could never catch. Children loved to hear of pine trees with cones, one kid brought a bag of pine cones to me and I told them of seeds that float with the wind, I asked them why do they do this and they could come up with the answer, they need sunlight, water, soil! Next, we talked about how the monkeys ate the plums and walnuts. We reached to the part where they came up with tigers eating cattle, I asked why would they do it? And they told me that since man has cut forests and encroached on their habitat the animals have to come out and feed on cattle, wonderful! We don't need to tech kids, we need to learn. I sketched a tree on the board to explain how the roots hold soil and they complimented me on my drawing. Two kids came next to me and sat very close, they wanted to know when I was coming next. The older kids were restless at first, I was told that I need to discuss cells, started with how we as individuals are bundles of cells working in harmony to create 'us'. Kids got interested when I drew an amoeba and traced the evolution to man. My head was aching but I could get things that interested them. It was wonderful with the sixth grade when the kid brought an ibex horn he stumbled upon while trekking. they came up with all kind of stories, some genuine and some made up, made me smile and their snuggling aginst me on such a hot day, well it felt good to be loved!

Gaze


Those eyes, they could soak up soul
Now, the wandering dust remains
The gaze was touch of child's cool soft hands
Now, the coarse sand sleeps against the lids



Pic: Isha