Being Human - Tenzin Jambey

Having a good brain, two hands, two legs, two eyes, and a good outlook doesn't make you a human. Being human means being kind to humans and other living beings like animals, birds and insects. Being human means having a kind, gentle heart and personality with a  positive attitude toward everything. Some people have no mercy and love for people, and they do kidnappings and murders. People are killing people than just thinking about the way of treatment given to animals; these people are no less than a monster who has no mercy and love for anything except themselves. A good human has a kind and open heart that accepts other living beings as their own family, and they give love and care; they have mercy upon all living beings, even microorganisms.

I remember the saying of a great monk who once said that he feels sad and pitied to take steps because it kills microorganisms which can not be seen. 

We can not be called human until we feel humanity, humanism and tenderness upon living and non-living. We all should have mercy and love upon everything. At least let's be human with a kind and soft heart with gentle behaviour rather than being a monster with no compassion and love. 

Tenzin Jambey
Pestalozzi Children's Village India

Being Human - Keyura Rao Cheeti

My school, The Hyderabad Public School Begumpet

Human beings are unique. But what are the qualities that make us so? Our intelligence and qualities, such as kindness, compassion, love, care, and empathy, differentiate us from other living beings.

We can use these qualities to improve the world by improving our and others' lives. We humans also have a responsibility towards Mother Earth. Some of the little things around me that I observed where I feel humanity can be put to use are children in the neighbourhood can learn to be compassionate towards the stray animals, friendly with other children, adults can be empathetic towards the beggars and the poor.

We must let go of our jealousy, pessimism, greed and pride that will stop us from seeing the good in others. We need to set an example for others to learn from us. We need to bring change in the world to make it harmonious for all of us to coexist.

Keyura Rao Cheeti
Class VI
The Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet

Being Human - Gaurangi Rastogi

                                        

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.” – Dalai Lama.

This quote from His Holiness Dalai Lama depicts the needs of humanity. Wherever we go, we always seek love from someone either our parents, teachers or friends. But what about those who have no friends or family and do not have a mentor? 

A few years ago, an Afri-American was killed by an American Officer, then the slogan ‘ Black Lives Matter’. He killed him because of his race. 

This example is of a person who does not have the virtue of love and compassion. 

As in the famous book ‘ To Kill A Mockingbird Bird.’ 

How Atticus takes the decision to fight the case of a black man. Atticus cared about people. This is called Humanity, where people care about others and despise their caste, race or creed. 

Do we act humanely? 

Gaurangi Rastogi 

VIII 

The Doon Girls School 

How did you repair a broken relationship? - Veda Varshita Marivada

Firstly, a relationship is a way through which people or things are connected. People can have relations with family, friends, animals, nature and even things.

The critical elements for a strong and healthy relationship are mutual Respect, Understanding, Communication, Compromise, and Trust. We should first understand the person and respect their opinions; giving them a chance to speak and putting in their shoes is important too.

Being an 11-year-old child, I have never experienced a broken relationship, but let me tell my story with my best friends. My parents and I have lived in Bangalore since my birth. Over there, I met Ridhi and Tanishka on the first day of school. We became best friends. They were kind, affectionate and caring. They would cheer me up when I was not in a good mood. 

One day, my father said we had to shift to Hyderabad for his job there. I was distressed to leave my friends and head for a new life. It was tough for me to adjust to the situation because we spent quality time together over weekend outings, playdates, birthday celebrations etc. I also had a good scoop of opportunities to learn activities like art, chess, and karate with my friends at “The Indian Heritage”, an activity centre. I also had a strong connection with nature over there. The weather was cool and pleasant, and the city was wooded and full of greenery. 

After relocating to Hyderabad, I took time to accept my new life. Days passed, and it was my friend’s birthday. I was flustered because I wanted to convey my wishes to her. I gathered courage and started texting her anxiously. But to my surprise, she replied immediately, saying she was delighted and missed me. I was pleased and relieved as I thought she might be furious for not being in touch with her. I also texted my other friend. I had a good time talking with my friends. From then onwards, we have been staying in touch regularly. How could I forget such good friends? I am fortunate to reside in a peaceful, green, and safe colony which helped me to acclimate to the new locality and make new friends. Hmm! But I still miss those memorable days and keep recollecting those sweet memories.

Why should we have a relationship? We would be depressed and lonely if we did not have anyone to spend time with. Therefore, try to have more relations as they say, “The More the Merrier”.

Here is a poem in Hindi that says:

This carries a lot of meaning. It says, “If something is broken, then learn to repair it. If someone is angry, then learn to convince and please them. Relationships are destined; just learn to handle them beautifully.” So, make sure you have a solid and good relationship, whether it is a person, animal, nature, or thing.   

VEDA VARSHITA MARRIVADA
Grade 5 Hyderabad Public School Begumpet

Listen to my Blog Post on the Learning Forward Podcast.

Friendship - Anvesha Rana

In this ever-evolving world, it is necessary to connect with people instantly, attain quick social skills and make friends at go. A person we may have met only once is also referred to as a friend; today, we all confuse friendship with acquaintanceship. An acquaintance is not mandatory to be a friend, but connections to reach higher posts and avail help at times of need are overrated than the subtle, sweet friendships which have vanished over time. 

Friendships come with conditions; they are no longer selfless relationships but a medium to take benefit of the other. We have turned our Friendships into obligations and formalities. How many of us are honest with our friends? We are too fake to show our real identity behind this mask of coolness. Friendships come with a lot of terms and conditions. We can no longer express ourselves freely, even with our “Besties”. 

There is an invisible ice between us, pleading to be broken, but our ego hinders us from shattering our prison. We can never be happy if we are not who we are. This era of jealousy and cutthroat competition is never ending and only increases as we grow up. 

True friends are only made when we are young when we do not pay heed to how someone looks, what clothes they wear, how they talk or whether they match our standards. As we grow, we look away from the beauty within and shift our focus to physical appearance or social stature. Looking at material things gets nowhere. 

We are not our true selves when we step out into the world; consequently, we feel the heat of the competition that this system has forced us under. We are not ready to leave this rat race and sit at the side bench to relax and rejoice in life. The illusion of success has blindfolded us in thick wraps to such an extent that terms and conditions apply in each relationship. The moment we see our friend doing better than us in any field, we are instantly jealous instead of happy for our pal. 

A famous story, ‘ The Frogs in the Well’, tells about a group of frogs living in a small well. None of the frogs ever get out of this well because as soon as one frog jumps up, all the others jump up on him and pull him down. Thus no frog can ever escape. So is the case with us. When we see a dear one doing good, we attempt all tricks, measures and strategies to somehow stop him. 

Friendship should be selfless and ever-flowing with Love and care. It should be about acceptance and forgiveness and not be built upon social norms but on the foundation of Love. 

Anvesha Rana 

Grade 11

Gyanshree School NB: I have used Love as a value, thus the capital letter.

Tolerance - Khushi Badgeri

Tolerance is the ability to deal with something annoying or where we disagree or show unwillingness to accept the situation.

Tolerance also means the patience to listen carefully and to treat people with dignity and respect while you disagree silently. Tolerance has limits. tolerance also means treating others the way you would like to be treated. Tolerance is a sign of wisdom and care. Let me share a small incident that happened with me. There was a girl in my class who would keep irritating and bullying me. At times she would be very much testing my patience. I would always try to keep my mind cool and avoid talking to her.. Once it  so happened that we were given a similar science project in our class. She was so overconfident that she thought her project would be the best. I kept myself cool and wished for the best project win and to my surprise my project was not only selected and appreciated but also kept for display in the school. There I understood the true meaning of patience and tolerating the person in the situation was rewarded. 

So my Dear friends, tolerance is keeping our minds cool in any situation and acting wisely.

Khushi Badgeri

Grade III A

Finland International School, Thane

Swami and Friends - Anvesha Rana

Swami and his friends are anxious about their match with the Young Men's Union. Specially Rajam, who is troubled by Swami's lack of practice and can't think of anything except their game. But what can Swami do? How can he elude drill classes and scout classes without getting caught? Somehow Swami manages to convince his doctor to tell his Headmaster that Swami suffers from Delirium and he must die if he were to attend these extra classes. 

Happy at the prospect of being able to skip these classes, Swami now has enough time to practice and hone his cricket skills, but the freedom doesn't last long. The Headmaster catches Swami, scolds him and punishes him; Swami also realises that he had been tricked by the wicked doctor; the only option left for him now is to leave the school, leave his home and leave his town and then he finally goes to bid goodbye to Rajam.

However, on meeting Rajam, Swami realises there seems to be no other option. He fills Swami with the spirit of victory and the team's need for Swami, and Swami feels that he will leave after the match. 

My favourite subject in school is History because knowing about the past to not repeat the same mistake in the future is History. History improves us. It makes us take rational decisions, creates a conscience and helps in an outlook for the future. 

Anvesha Rana, 

Grade 10-B, 

Gyanshree School

The World Of Design - Rishona Chopra

Into this fashionable world, I go,

Fashion started long ago.

Design and embroidery it's much more than that,

This design can make expensive mats.

Fashion doesn't always have to be a trend,

It can be simple and still be a friend,

Perhaps nothing too fancy, but something light to wear,

Made with love and care.

Perhaps the best design doesn't stand out,

But it is gently made, no doubt.

Cloth is not decided by price,

But its simplicity makes it so nice.

Even a plain white cloth made with love,

Will shine out more than a golden dove.

It's all about creativity and what you think,

If made with effort, the effort will never shrink!
The beauty is within,
And that's where the true fun begins.

I wrote this for a fashion teacher,

But this thought made me think deeper.

Rishona Chopra

Grade VI
Gyanshree School 

Swami and Friends - Anvesha Rana

Somewhere in life, there must be someone to take your hand and share the torrid day. Without a touch of Friendship, there is no life, and we must fade away. There are friends, there is family, and then there are friends who become family. Friendship is a tonic for all of us that only grows stronger over time; it is the cure for every challenge, the outlook for every good day, and the wish for every person. Probably no relationship is as essential yet versatile as Friendship. The intimacy and affinity we have with our friends are irreplaceable, and it comes in many forms; whether we are next to each other or miles apart, we always remember them, and they are our Friends. 

Some stories will make you smile, some will bring tears to your eyes, and some may even make your heart skip a beat, but all of them will renew your faith in the power of Friendship. Penned down beautifully in the words of a celebrated novelist, RK Narayan, is this tale overflowing with mischievousness, oozing with love and pondering over our relationships. 

So, join us as we dive into this adventure with Swami and Friends. We won’t know what’s coming next, for this will be full of twists, turns and steep ends, but one thing we can be sure of, whatever it is, will be the most memorable.

Anvesha Rana, 

Grade 10-B, 

Gyanshree School

Peace - Arfa Khan

 ACROSTIC POEM – PEACE

 

Positivity will be in everyone’s mind.

Equality in the world we will find.

Amiable we all will be.

Care will be there; I can guarantee.

Exciting our life would be.

       -Arfa Khan

           7-A

Ahlcon Public School

Billabong School Song - Arav Agarwal

Totto-chan's School Song helped me connect with my school's song, Billabong High International School, Thane. I love my school song and am happy to share it with everyone.

Billabong High is a fun place to be

To learn to have fun, there's a lot to see.

As you grow up and go to a higher class

And recap what you have done

And soon you'll pass

It's an exciting place for children

And they look forward to going there

Not only do they get an education, but,

They get individual love and care.

You will be a proud graduate

And one day, you will say

I went to Billabong High and see what I am today.

I went to Billabong High and see what I am today.

I went to Billabong High and see what I am today.

Name; Arav Agarwal
Grade: 6A
Billabong High International School, Thane

Totto-chan's Mother - Amaira Bhati

        

Totto-chan’s mother is kind, gentle and calm. Totto Chan had been expelled from her old school, but her mother had not scolded her, and she did not even tell her about the suspension so as to not upset her daughter. Instead, she made Totto Chan go to a new school. 

The teacher of Totto-chan’s old school was disappointed and annoyed by her but mother always stood by Totto-chan’s side and let Totto Chan be the cheerful and chirpy girl she was; mother kept Totto-chan’s expulsion a secret. 

It was the first day of Totto-chan’s new school, Tomoe Gakuen. It was a school with railroad cars as classrooms, and it deeply excited the jovial Totto Chan. Her mother played a crucial role in all this; she encouraged Totto-chan to share what she liked at the school that day and listened to all her tales with amusement. 

Even when Totto-chan ran to her mother and told her she wanted to be a ticket collector, her mother coolly reminded her that she wanted to be a spy instead. Totto-chan is very lucky to have a Mother so encouraging. Deep down, Totto-chan’s Mother knew all about her daughter’s potential even when she concealed her feelings most of the time. That’s the power of a mother.

Amaira Bhati,

Grade 3-F,

Gyanshree School

Totto-chan's Mother - Anvesha Rana

Totto-chan's mother is a unique parent. She understands her daughter like a mother, treats her like a friend and protects her like a soldier. Totto-chan is lucky to have such a benevolent mother who supports her in all her decisions. She is a calm and composed lady and has brought up her daughter similarly.

The best part about Totto-chan's mother and Totto-chan is the comfort level that the mother and daughter share, so much so that Totto-chan shares everything with her mother. Behind every young child who believes in himself is a parent who believes first. Totto-chan is an open minded and free spirited child only because she has a mother who doesn't want her to walk in her footsteps, but she wishes for Totto-chan to imprint her own feet on a new field.

Totto-Chan's mother is just like my mother,

She is soft hearted yet strong willed, 

She is compassionate yet unwavering in principle, 

She is a loving mother, yet she wants her to go beyond the horizons, 

She worries about her daughter, yet she pushes her into the waters, 

In short, simply a SUPER MOM.

Anvesha Rana,

Grade 10-B,

Gyanshree School.

The Best Element Of School - Rishona Chopra

The best element of School is the teacher. The way each teacher manages the class is remarkable. Every single teacher has several qualities. Along with taking care of students, they ensure that they are comfortable; when one does something very naughty while the class is studying, they are firm with that student. 

No matter how firm the teacher is, with most teachers, you will get this sense that you are safe and you can trust our teacher because she is a teacher; when mother and father are gone for the day, she becomes both!

Teachers are parents, and we must never disrespect them. They are always there for you and to help you out.

Rishona Chopra
Grade VI
Gyanshree School

We learn from Nature - Rishona Chopra

We learn almost everything from nature. The way trees sway, we might learn a dance move from them. Some birds even dance in coordination with their very own dance teacher! ( I am not joking) . The way the weaver bird weaves its nest is so mesmerizing, and if you observe them closely, we humans knit the same way as them, except we use needles, and they use their beaks! 

Noticing the movement of birds, we made aeroplanes. We learned about hibernation because animals don't move or eat much in winters. 

Nature gives us education and other necessary things we need to live. When nature is so kind to us, why are we so rude to it? Why don't we care for the outdoors the same way nature cares for us?

Rishona Chopra
Grade VI
Gyanshree School

Friendship - Vihaan Bisht

Friendship is one of the most incredible bonds anyone can ever wish for. Friends have immense care and support for each other. My best friend is Shlok. We both have lots of fun together. We invite each other to our birthdays, but that’s not the only reason why I consider him as my best friend. He is my best friend because he is very kind and he never talks rudely to me. He helps me when I am in a problem. He shares his things with me. What I like most about him because he never thinks that if he helps me, I will also do something in return for him. So a best friend isn’t someone who looks good, but who is at heart. A true friend helps his friend when he is in trouble. I also admire him for his politeness and calmness.

During Corona, we weren’t able to see each other. Lockdown was there, and our school got shut, but now the school is reopening, so I hope to see my best friend again from April.

Vihaan Bisht
Grade III
Gyanshree School

Making others Happy - Shirin Kaw

Shirin Kaw, 8E, Ahlcon Public School

I am very passionate about writing stories and poems of what I imagine. Writing various stories and poems helps me express my thoughts on a piece of paper. It gives me a sense of calmness to my body and allows me to spend my free time productively. I also read many stories; I mainly enjoy fictional stories as I love imagination and creativity.

Making Others Happy -
Feeling good after doing a good deed,
Making one smile, the beatitude I perceive
Sunshine thrives over all the obstacles I face 

A second doesn't go by without thinking that face. 

It must have been a rough day, dealing with the strain 
A soul comes and hugs you, 
Makes your day an enchanting bouquet. 

Take a minute of your life,
There is something to redo, 
Make someone blush, and don't forget yourself too.

Care - Aanya Kumar

 We all show some kind of care. It can be care for nature, for friends and family, or even for our pets. We care for those with whom we have a special connection. There is one thing that needs care the most... but is not given the same by almost all of us. It's NATURE. 

We -knowingly or not- tend to pollute it and do not care for it. Although there are a few people who have a feeling for nature. They protect it by any means and way. I think that everything in this world is to be cared for. Moreover, that's our only responsibility. We should salute how nature takes care of US and take care of IT.

Aanya Kumar
Gyanshree School 
Grade V

 

Respect - Rishona Chopra

Respect is when you care for someone and have a high opinion about them.  

Many say we must have respect for elders, but we should also respect younger ones. Everyone is equal, so everyone should get respect.

Being respectful is essential as when we speak with anger and disappointment, the opponent feels terrible and wouldn’t care to listen to you, and you would feel bad. On the other hand, if we talk with respect, people would easily understand us and feel good.

Apart from respecting others, we must respect ourselves too, which is having self-esteem. 

Self-esteem is to love ourselves. When we do something wrong, we shouldn’t be hard on ourselves but respect ourselves like a young child who made a small mistake. Having too much self-esteem is not good, and neither is having no self-esteem. 

We should respect others and ourselves too.

Rishona Chopra
Grade V
Gyanshree School

Compassion - Anoushka Vinod

Is Your Child Ready to Face the World? by Doctor Anupam Sibal, my reflection on compassion.

No act of compassion is ever small. By being compassionate, you show the love and care in your heart. In our session, we learnt the true meaning of compassion. It is astounding how just a few small acts give you great rewards.

To be compassionate means understanding those who are in misfortunate or in need. We learnt about two remarkable ladies. They were Mother Teresa and Princess Diana. Even though they were well known, they didn't let pride overcome their humbleness.

Individuals believe that people with a higher post should be respected and be perfect in every way, but Princess Diana broke this belief and proved to everyone that no one is supreme. We all have our faults, and we can only fix them by being compassionate and humble. That is how she met Mother Teresa. Together, they both made a change in the world. I have learnt that small acts, like helping someone in need, show compassion. To finish off, I would like to say that everyone is equal. The only way to get appreciated and loved is by showing compassion.

Anoushka Vinod

Grade VI

Gyanshree School