To give the love you seek - Rishona Chopra

Image from Google Search

Sometimes you, feel that no one wants you there,

It's often just a fear, Because we just want to find a place in the world, And don't want hate coming through words, Time passes by like the waves on a shore, Leaving an impression on the sand, but not for too long. We wish to be loved and cared, Not shattered and scared Forgetting that our hearts only open when you learn to give the love you seek. To some, it feels meek, But it is what it is, Because that's when you learn to truly live. Perhaps we fetch this love too far and wide, We have it here in our heart all this time, So lets not let hurt get the better of us, And lets not let the loneliness ruin us, Because to give is to take, And to love others isn't futile and fake.

Rishona Chopra Grade IX Gyanshree School

Reflections - My Good School Retreat 15th November 2024

My Good School Retreat 2024 - November 15

To conduct a My Good School retreat session focused on discussing animal behavior and emotions through the book "The Inner Life of Animals" by Peter Wohlleben.

Key Takeaways

• The group explored the concept of animal emotions, particularly maternal love, through the first chapter of the book
• Participants learned about squirrel behavior, including their nesting habits, food caching, and interactions with other animals
• The discussion highlighted how human perceptions of animals are often influenced by emotions rather than objective observation
• The session emphasized that maternal love is not exclusive to humans and exists across species, though with variations in its expression and development

Topics

Book Introduction and Context

• The group is reading "The Inner Life of Animals" by Peter Wohlleben
• The book explores animal emotions and behaviors, challenging assumptions about human uniqueness
• The author uses scientific research and personal observations to illustrate animal experiences

Squirrel Behavior and Survival

• Squirrels demonstrate maternal care by carrying babies on their necks
• They build nests (dreys) in trees, using soft materials for comfort
• Squirrels cache food for winter, but often forget locations, leading to natural tree planting
• Their survival strategies include spiral descent to avoid predators like hawks

Animal Emotions and Human Perceptions

• The group discussed how humans categorize animals based on appearance and perceived usefulness
• Squirrels were used as an example of how perceptions can shift (e.g., from cute to predatory)
• The discussion emphasized that animals act primarily for survival, not to be "good" or "bad"

Maternal Love Across Species

• The chapter explored whether maternal love is innate or learned
• Hormones like oxytocin play a role in bonding for both humans and animals
• Human capacity for learned love (e.g., adoption) was contrasted with more instinctive animal behaviors
• Examples of interspecies bonding were mentioned (e.g., cats caring for human infants)

Next Steps

• Participants encouraged to watch related movies/documentaries (e.g., Born Free, Lion King)
• Research Jane Goodall's work with chimpanzees for further insights on animal behavior.
• Reconvene at 5:30 PM for the Teacher's Academy session to continue book discussion.
• Local retreat participants to engage in a treasure hunt during the break.

Think it over

1. Did the story connect with you today, and why?  

2. Find out about- 

a. dreys

b. nests of animals

3. How do animals prepare their nest? Which material is required by the animals to make their nest?

4. Winter, however, is more devastating than any predator. Who does the writer refer to ?

5. What will happen if there will be no food chain?

6. What is selfless mother's love according to you?

Autobiography of a Book - Aadya Sharma

The image is Canva’a imagination!

My journey started from my dear bookshelf in a mall. A young girl approached my shelf; she read my label and frowned, “History. What a bore!”. I was so sad I wanted to wash off all my letters with tears, deeply saddened by the girl’s expressions. Suddenly, another girl ran up to me; maybe around twice a decade old, Ava picked me up and squealed! She skimmed through my pages and finally decided to buy me for a few sweet cents! I was euphoric about my new life. We drove away in the car, and throughout our journey home, she held me tightly on her thighs.

The following day, I got to go with her to where knowledge is embarked onto children and minds from all over the state, joining together to learn and go to school! One of the meanies of the class approached Ava and told her I was lame. But that’s okay because I have a lovely owner. Many more people approached me and even said I was an exciting book! I felt like a celebrity. She read me day and night. Unsurprisingly, she even made me a custom bookmark with my name embroidered in swirly but elegant handwriting. It was as soft as a pillow, silky as a bedsheet, and as pretty as a flower.

After a few days, she finished reading me. Was Ava going to throw me away? Was she going to give me away to someone else? No, she wasn’t! Woo-wasn’t. A few days later, her parents, Ava and I attended her parent-teacher conference. The teacher said that this book (me) had improved her grades impressively and that this book (again, me) was a good influence on her. Ava’s teacher asked us to talk to her secretly when we were leaving. She asked Ava if she could borrow her book for some time for her children, and thank god Ava said no; I was very relieved to hear her say no because, as you might have guessed, I did not want to leave her side at all!

Aadya Sharma

Gyanshree School

V-D

Gautam Buddha’s Journey - Aradhy Mohan Jalan

Gautama Buddha's journey from prince to spiritual teacher is a profound tale of enlightenment and compassion. Born as Siddhartha Gautama around 563 BCE in Lumbini (present-day Nepal), he was destined for greatness. Despite his privileged upbringing, Siddhartha became aware of human suffering and sought a path to alleviate it.

At the age of 29, he renounced his royal comforts, leaving behind his palace and family, including his wife and newborn son. He embarked on a quest for truth, guided by a deep inner calling to understand the nature of existence, suffering, and the way to liberation.

For six years, Siddhartha wandered through forests and engaged in rigorous ascetic practices with various teachers. Despite his severe discipline, he did not find the answers he sought. Realizing the futility of extreme austerity, he decided to meditate under a bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, Bihar.

On the full moon night of Vesakha, at the age of 35, Siddhartha attained enlightenment. Sitting in deep meditation, he achieved profound insights into the nature of suffering (dukkha), its causes (craving and ignorance), and the path to its cessation (the Eightfold Path). Thus, he became the Buddha, the "Awakened One."

For the next 45 years, Buddha travelled across northern India, teaching the Dharma (the path to liberation) to all who would listen—kings, nobles, merchants, and the marginalized. He founded the Sangha, a community of monks and nuns who dedicated themselves to the practice and dissemination of his teachings.

Buddha's teachings emphasized the Four Noble Truths—suffering exists, suffering arises from attachment to desires, suffering ceases when attachment to desires ceases, and the Eightfold Path leads to the cessation of suffering.

Gautama Buddha's journey from prince to enlightened teacher continues to inspire millions worldwide, transcending time and culture with its message of compassion, mindfulness, and the pursuit of inner peace.

Aradhya Mohan Jalan 

Sunbeam School, Lahartara 

Spirituality- Prapti Rai

Spirituality, to me, embodies the exploration of the deeper dimensions of existence beyond the confines of the physical world. It's about seeking a connection with something greater than ourselves, whether it's through religious practices, meditation, nature, or acts of compassion and kindness.

Modern spirituality centres on the "deepest values and meanings by which people live".It often embraces the idea of an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality. It envisions an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his or her being.

Not all modern notions of spirituality embrace transcendental ideas. Secular spirituality emphasizes humanistic ideas on moral character- qualities such as love, compassion, patience, tolerance, forgiveness, contentment, responsibility, harmony, and concern for others.

These aspects of life and human experience go beyond a purely materialist view of the world without necessarily accepting belief in a supernatural reality or any divine being. However, Guru Nanak's documentaries likely portray spirituality as a universal quest for meaning and transcendence, showcasing diverse perspectives and practices from around the globe.

Through storytelling and insights from various cultures and traditions, these documentaries likely illuminate the common threads that unite us in our search for purpose and understanding in the vast tapestry of existence.

Prapti Rai

Sunbeam Bhagwanpur

Tribute to Parents- Shambhavi Nautiyal

How can you give tribute to your parents?

I tell my mother that I love her at least eight times a day and try to act as infantile as I try not to hurt her feelings and, in its truest sense, make her feel happy. Ever since my infancy, the dynamic has been like that, and I can never ignore how her face brightens. That’s maybe the reason I am not able to implement my emotional maturity with her because I still feel like I’m five and, so I’m not able to act my actual age until we have some ‘grown-up talk’ because I don’t feel like a thing has changed between me and her and, I hope that she can constructively share her experiences in the future so that I can view her as a rational adult willing enough to understand me and forgive me in the best way that she can.

To pay tribute to your parents, you can write letters of admiration for them, maybe like a ‘Thank You Letter’.  I'm going to be doing this for this 'Mother’s Day'.  It is on occasions like this when I feel like I can be inherently open about my feelings without the fear of getting roasted or hit by the reality of the nature of my conduct towards my mother. I don't feel shy about speaking sweetly to my parents, and I feel like that as that’s how I have been wired by the media I consume.

I am pretty bad at the respect part, I believe, because my parents keep telling me that and this is probably the first time I am mentioning my ‘darker side’ or mistakes in one of these blogs. What I have focused till now is more on the flaws of my parent’s parenting skills, and I have also recently discovered that I have had the ‘perfectionist syndrome’ in some way because I used to think of things as black and white, so I couldn’t bring myself to love and forgive both mine and others’ mistakes.

So now I just want to say to my parents, “I am so proud to be your daughter, both of you, equally and  I think I realise your true value and role in my life journey and mindset” because I don’t know when or if I would ever be able to say this to their face, because you know it’s easier with friends because they only show their best side to you but with family, it’s different. You know each other inside-out and if you’re able to love each other unconditionally despite that, then you are gold and the luckiest person on earth with one of the best subconscious minds and emotional patterns.

There is conflict in families only when, one of the members isn’t able to accept, forgive and love the other member’s mistakes and starts shaming them for being an irresponsible human, which sometimes may also be unfeasible which is why you should always do the inner work and healing so that you don’t create an unhealthy environment for others.

According to me, if the toxic member happens to be you, then question yourself, if their mistake is something changeable. If yes, immediately call out your toxic behaviour and remind yourself that it’s okay to be human and commit mistakes. Never make someone hate themselves to the degree that they can’t ignore it anymore. Also, if you want to get tribute then you need to make yourself worthy of it first, whether child or parent, don’t make your behaviours nullify all the formal work that you do, especially, to the point, that your child or parent, isn’t able to remember all your good efforts.

First, learn to love yourself and then propagate it to others because it all starts from the self if you ever want to become a parent, keep questioning yourself- Would you want your child to go through something you're going through at the moment? And to the person who observes this kind of ‘behaviour’, first, acknowledge what’s happening to you and then slowly start empathizing with the other member, be the bigger person and forgive them. Kill them with kindness and it shall all come back to you. Just try maintaining that abundance mindset and pay your tribute.

Shambhavi Nautiyal

Ahlcon Public School

Grade- IX

Language - Saikiran Sahu

 

Language means to communicate,

Not a means to divide and separate.

A medium of joy, sadness,

Not a way to spread distress.

Use it freely, use it wisely,

But not as a weapon to separate us all.

The weapon which holds the power to destroy mankind,

A weapon that has no use of any kind.

Language is a way to communicate,

A way to accept differences-

Where the whole world celebrates this rich diversity 

But not a way to spread adversities.

Earth separated by endless boundaries-

With different people, with different countries 

but after all, among us, one heart beats 

Only one language that the heart speaks

It is the language of love and understanding that it perceives.

Saikiran Sahu, IX

Gyanshree School, Noida

Life Lessons with Amardeep Singh - Tenzin Jambey

Tenzin Jambey of Pestalozzi Children’s Village India shares his reflections from the Sunday School on 24 December 2023, when we hosted a Meet and Greet with Amardeep Singh Rangar. Tenzin shares with us what being human is, how we yearn for peace, why money, perhaps the biggest sin for mankind, has made us lose our value system and much more. Please listen to his maiden podcast and share your love with him by posting your comments for the episode.

My Experiments with Self-Awareness - Anvesha Rana

From daily news to new trends, the weather forecast to the match score, we know so many things just because they are happening around us; we love to be up to date. However, amidst gathering this information, we get so distracted that we must remember to collect ourselves or ask ourselves what is happening within us? 

Self-awareness is to know, share, ask, or be aware of oneself. Strangely, the person we have been since time immemorial is also the person we know the least about; most of the time, other people know more about us than we do about ourselves! Yes, and as an exercise, ask your friends about what you like; I am sure they will get it right. 

So, self-awareness is vital as you need to know who you are and be clear about what you like or dislike. Self-awareness is a gradual process, though it is believed to be an innate ability that vanishes growing up. Thus, we need to constantly experiment to regain ours. 

Whenever we get lost in a discussion, we should ask ourselves, is this really important? Would I like to be a part of this? Moreover, we must decide about numerous things daily and sometimes need help with choices. Consequently, we should learn to recognise and observe our choices and decipher the pattern. This code or pattern is our approach to problem-solving that sums up the kind of person we are. 

To be more self-aware, we should spend time alone with our thoughts in our head; it’s good to head out, but sometimes, to seek answers to deep questions, it’s okay to run in. Being the observer of our lives also means observing or influencing our thoughts. Being the observer is being in the position of power, i.e. we are not guided by the current flow in the ocean, but we decide where the current shall flow. It may be difficult initially, but once we start to love our own company, that is the self-awareness threshold.
Anvesha Rana
Grade 11
Gyanshree School

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 - Anvesha Rana

We are all human by birth, but that does not make a difference until we choose to be human. God has gifted us with the power of speech, the ability to harness raw materials and turn them into resources, the power to help other living entities and the capacity to develop a world of acceptance, but we have only taken the better out of our birth given right, never considering it to be a boon but an obvious fact. We never are grateful for being human simply because we don’t think we are human.

In this fast-paced world where everyone seems to be struggling for something, we have forgotten what being human means. We only cater to our needs, worry about our goals, focus on our problems, and only look at good things for us. As we forget to be human, we fail to be empathetic, compassionate and helpful; we might say that being independent is the need of the hour and that one should always look out for themselves, but then what is the difference between the predators and us out in the wild which only kill the weak and gullible to rule over, what will the world be if the innocent are further pressed down and walked upon.

Humanity comes to a still, and we forget our virtues as this world nurtures us into selfish and greedy individuals. It teaches us to bite the hand that feeds us and to not help but heap upon the frail ones. The sight of being human vanishes more every day, and although we have seen enough cruelty, we have also witnessed a few instances where love was present, where humanity was finally caught. Even if the bad is growing ever more and it feels that cruel people are stronger out there, never forget that only a little bit of humanity can extinguish a lot of evil deeds. Only a little bit of love can transform millions of hearts. The good is always more substantial than the bad; our positivity is so contagious that it can kill any negativity. 

Being human means not to profit out of someone’s weaknesses,

It means not to have eyes that see gain but that feel the pain,

It means to help without expectations and to love without getting it back, 

It means to be selfless and give more, more and more

When someone leaves a seat on the bus for an old lady or man, 

I understand what it is to be a human, 

When someone goes out of their way to help, 

I know what it is to be a human, 

When a child selflessly gives away their lunch to a friend who has none, 

I know what it is to be a human, 

When a teacher empathizes with a kid who has suffered a loss, 

I know what it is to be a human. 

Being a human is the greatest asset, 

We are human for a purpose and reason, 

Let us not trample upon the ones who hurt us, 

Forget and forgive is to be a human, 

To give more and expect less is to be a human, 

To offer a hand to others and walk together is to be a human,

To listen to the heart rather than the mind is to be a human,

We all are human by birth, but we must embrace it by nature.

Anvesha Rana

Grade 11 

Gyanshree School

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 

Understanding - Anvesha Rana

Understanding is not just about learning but also about living. When others confess their mistakes, lies or problems to us, we often turn a blind eye towards them and do not listen. Still, we need to be humble enough to understand what they are going through, be kind enough to give them a shoulder and be trustworthy sufficient to accept their reality. Treat others the way you wish to be treated. Each person deserves love and affection just the way we do.

Understanding is not a simple task; it requires the power to trust and tolerate and the necessity of being thoughtful while observing the simplicity at the heart of the matter and eventually giving in honestly to love. If we can understand, then we can trust. If we can understand, then we can be patient; if we can understand, we can tolerate and understand; only we can love.

At My Good School, understanding is experienced at its core. We initially listen to each other and then begin to understand one another. This is followed by a bond of trust, tolerance and humility, and as time passes, we begin to treasure the standard tie of love that connects us all. Understanding is the foundation stone for building upon the structure of love.

In the Mahabharata, an incident occurred during the Gurukul days of the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Guru Dronacharya, the teacher of the princes, had to leave the gurukul for a fortnight due to some urgent work; hence, he had called upon all his pupils and asked them to complete their lessons by the time he returned. All students finished their work and did some extra tasks as well. Guru Dronacharya returned after a fortnight and called his pupils to the classroom; one by one, he individually asked them to come forward and inform him how many lessons they had completed while he was away.

Someone said three, someone else four, others 5 and so on; the teacher beamed at his students as he looked at them with love. At last, he called Yudhishthira, the eldest son of the Pandavas, and Guru Dronacharya was sure that Yudhishthira would have done more lessons than everyone else. However, when asked the question, he answered that he had only done one sentence. The teacher was shocked and yelled at him that in a fortnight, he could only do one sentence; Yudhishthira apologised but repeated that he could only understand that sentence. The other pupils were shocked as they saw their Guru mercilessly scolding Yudhishthira. However, he stayed rooted in his words. At the end of it, when Guru Dronacharya finally asked him what the sentence was, he confidently replied, “Control your anger and Guru ji, it took me 15 days to learn how to control my anger, so I could only complete one sentence.” Guru Dronacharya stood in awe and appreciated Yudhishthira, for he had understood the power of understanding, an ability not yet attained by many of us.

Anvesha Rana

Grade 11 

Gyanshree School

Coffee With The Coach : Our Happiness - Anvesha Rana

Today We Talk About Our Happiness

Many of us feel that we will only be happy when something big happens when we finally get promoted or get an expensive gift. Why are we so adamant about linking our happiness to worldly possessions? Why can’t we be happy for no reason? Our joy is always because of something, and as long as this lasts, we can never be pleased since someday, the best dress in your closet will look worn out. Eventually, the best game you got once will look very old and ultimately, the job that you had always dreamt of will turn out to be a nightmare.  

There should be no because when it comes to happiness, I am happy. After all, it is just not okay. I am happy, that’s it. I need no reason to be happy. Someday that reason will go, and then I will be sad. So I am happy, as simple as that. But even I agree it's tough to be happy without any reason, once you think about it, do we always have something to be sad about? Is the world always falling apart for us? Are we always struggling? Then why are we always so gloomy and upset? If we can always be sad, we can learn to be happy. 

Happiness is a choice, and it’s not a miracle that a wand will be waved and all the miseries of life will vanish, but it is a choice that we make each day. Despite everything that takes place in our lives, we should still have the strength to face the world and to sideline that sadness to accept the fact that whatever may happen shall happen but I chose to be happy.

Being happy is rather misused, we are not happy if we are troubled by the presence of others, we are not happy if we have restricted it to a definite zone and we are not happy simply by trying to act happy. Happiness comes from within and we can never thrust the responsibility of something as important as our happiness onto someone else’s shoulders because believe it or not, expectations are born to die, no one in this world should be the reason for your contentment. When you are the reason behind your own happiness, you find solace in yourself and there is nothing better than that. 

Something as commonly expressed as happiness which is still yet completely vague for all of us is a big problem. We don’t know what happiness is and well we don’t even have to know what it is. Happiness is like love, when you are happy you will know it and you will be happy without any reason at all. 

Anvesha Rana

Grade 11 

Gyanshree School 

The dilemma between heart and mind - Tenzin Jambey

"Good evening, sir. How is everything and hope you are all good, me waiting for Sunday's Good School and will see you in Sunday's Class. This is my reflection on ( SHARE A DILEMMA OF HEART AND MIND). It took me almost an hour to write , and I guess  not everyone has the courage to share the dilemma experience which I have shared. Hope you would love and feel good after going through my reflection." Tenzin Jambey

Our minds and heart ask and wish for many things, but sometimes we come across such situations that our minds and heart don't agree to perform a task together. When the brain says 'yes', the heart says 'no' and when the heart says 'yes', the brain says 'no'. In this situation, we need clarification. I have also experienced the dilemma between my brain and heart, and the dilemma I faced is also faced by others.

1) "Being a student, our main purpose is "studying" every student is expected to learn good values, life skills, good morals and at last, they are expected to become a good human being". It has not been a long day since I last experienced this dilemma. My exams were near, and I had a lot to cover up; my mind would always tell me to stay focused on my studies and prepare for exams, or else I wouldn't be able to complete the syllabus. Still, my heart told me, "Don't take the pressure. You can cover up the whole syllabus before exams". When I used to sit studying, my mind and heart would fight for a few minutes, and every time my mind used to win. In the case of studying, I always listen to my mind. This time, I could only secure a good percentage in my finals because I listened to my mind.

2) The dilemma between heart and mind, which I am now going to share right now, is a Universal truth, and it is experienced by almost all human beings, including you and me. " FEELING ATTRACTED TOWARDS SOMEONE" means having a feeling of love for someone or having a crush upon someone. When we fall in love with someone, a powerful dilemma develops between our minds and heart. We still can't escape even after knowing that this would take us nowhere and is just a short-term distraction or an attraction. Our mind says that we try to forget the one upon whom we have the feeling of love or crush, but our heart doesn't agree with the decision of our mind. These feelings and attractions can last for a  few days or more. Still, it remains for a very long time for some, so even a more significant dilemma is developed between mind and heart, much like a" SMART EDUCATED  PERSON TRYING TO TALK IN ENGLISH WITH A INNOCENT UNEDUCATED PERSON ". This dilemma puts extreme pressure upon people and can lead a person to perform activities which he/she might not have ever dreamt of; they end up being bad cold-hearted people, and they remain in depression; they are often found sad, and at last,,, they ruin their own life. It is sad thing that many people commit suicide, and they prefer to kill themselves when they fail in love or when they fail to impress the other person. Still, we must understand and develop self-control to overcome this challenging and complex dilemma.

At last, dilemmas can come and get into our life from anywhere, so we have to be very mindful of the decision we are to make. It would be better to listen to " FIFTY - FIFTY " of both mind and heart rather than listening to the heart or mind altogether. As for me, our mind always thinks of our future and our results. In contrast, our heart would show the way to happiness, and by listening and following the instructions of both of them, you would indeed become HAPPY (which is a contribution of the heart) and SUCCESFUL (which is a result of listening to our mind) man, A HAPPY SUCCESSFUL MAN. 

Reading at the Sunday School

The Heart or The Mind ? - Anvesha Rana

The battle between the heart and the mind never really comes to an end. It is just like a tennis match. The ball goes back and forth, back and forth, until finally, the eyes give away, and we doze off. We talk about listening to the heart or mind, but most of the time, during crucial decisions, we are not even consciously aware of whether our heart or mind made this decision. Staying conscious about our inner voice, along with the doubts that it offers, is a part of being human. 

We often do not heed the voice within, but our best advisor is our own voice rather than family, friends or anyone. Whenever you find yourself running at a tremendous speed, you are running so fast that the faces of your loved ones have blurred away, then stop, pause and observe yourself. Being aware of who we are is life. 

Once we learn to listen to ourselves, the question of the heart or the mind arises. The mind always resonates with what makes sense, but the heart believes in the power of intuition, going with the flow and love; it complies with whatever feels right. The difference between the two is that the mind tells us what is wise, whereas the heart tells us what we will do anyway. 

It is up to us to decide whether we follow our heart or our mind. After all, we alone hold power to decide who we wish to follow. However, we can only find peace of mind once we listen to our hearts. The heart opens up doors of ecstasy, imagination and joyfulness, but the mind keeps us rooted in this material world where practicality implies the cornerstone of each decision. 

The key to mastering the heart and the mind is to strike a chord between the two. The heart and the mind play on a see-saw, but to muster up the courage to sit at the fulcrum of it is winning both. 

Anvesha Rana

Grade 11

Gyanshree School