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Mother, writer and daydreamer. Also chocoholic and chick-flick lover. But mainly mommy. To two boys, at that! When not escorting my Elder One (EO) to karate class, I'm trying to get in as many cuddles as possible from my Younger One (YO). And when not doing either, I'm hard-at-work trying to maintain a steady relationship with my laptop. And as for the Man I Married (MIM), well, let’s just put it this way – even though we share a bedroom, our most meaningful conversations are held over the cell-phone!

Friday, March 13, 2009

So Long, Farewell...

Well, that's it folks. All good things must come to an end, they say. And so today, I say "Goodbye." This is one more closed chapter...



in my EO's life. Today was his last day in this school. From next month, he'll be going to that other school. I thought I'd be howling, but because of the viral he missed school from last Wednesday right up to and including this Monday. And then, to top it all, Tuesday and Wednesday were holidays. So, it was basically yesterday and today that the EO had. Not enough time for my hysteria build-up to happen, I guess.

Unfortunately, I arrived a little late to pick him up, and he was standing there with two of his other classmates and his beloved class teacher. She was looking grief-stricken. Now she loves my EO tremendously, and I know it's not fake. I can normally tell if someone's feelngs for my children is genuine or not, and her love for my son is as true as a freshly baked, chewy, chocolate chip cookie...soft, warm, tender and comforting. I felt for her, I really did. She got down on her knees to hug my EO and she had tears in her eyes. She looked at him and lovingly asked him, "Will you miss me?" My son looked deep into her eyes, gave a sad smile and nodded. She said, "I'll miss you more than you'll miss me." And then they hugged. Then she looked at him and said, "Whenever you miss me, just close your eyes and I'll be there." And as soon as she said this, my little boy covered his eyes, a corny-yet-glowing smile on his lips, and then moved his hands away with a flourish...in the same way we play 'tookie' or 'peek-a-boo'. That gesture, so sweet, charming and utterly innocent, brought a tear to mine eye, and his teacher and I looked at each other sadly.

I will be seeing her again, for the the parent-teacher meeting and we promised to exchange e-mail addresses then. I took a photograph of her with my son and two of his classmates who were still waiting to be picked up.

I then needed to go to the main building to submit a request for his TC. Now to go from the primary block to the main school block, you need to cross over a HUGE lawn. The EO took off his bag and started to hand it over to me saying he wanted to run across. I opened my mouth to tell him to carry it himself, but immediately shut myself up, remembering that he wasn't going to get this opportunity again.

It was a bittersweet moment, watching my first-born run as fast as he possibly could over the beautiful, grassy lawn as carefree and happy as should be every child's birthright. I stopped to stare at him running. It seemed symbolic for so many things, but I took it the moment for what it was...my little boy, grabbing an opportunity, making the most of it and enjoying the moment. When he got to the other side, he stood there with his hands on his hips, a huge, goofy, happy smile spread across his face, his eyes dancing with joy. And I savoured that image for a long time.

Goodbye GH School. You've been wonderful to and for my son, and I owe you much by way of happy memories and for embracing my son with love, learning, good manners, good friends and two great teachers (last year as well as this).

Goodbye and thank you.

12 comments:

DotThoughts said...

what a lovely tribute! Bless the teacher. I do hope you keep in touch with her.. And hope he is blessed with another great teacher nexy year!

Rambunctious WhipperSnapper said...

Wow!! This was so beautiful.

Indyeah said...

This was just so beautiful and touching..EO is blessed to have such a teacher,as she is to have such a cute student:)


so many emotionsin one post..

yes genuine love is easily recognisable....

I also do hope you and EO's teacher keep in touch...later when EO is all grown up he will look back and smile..:)and will drop in at an old teacher's home..the one who cried and hugged and told him,''Whenever you miss me, just close your eyes and I'll be there."

memories are made of these..
god bless you and yours...

Monika said...

Aww.....I hope EO has a great time in his new school.
It's great to have such a deep bond between & child & his teacher. :)
& like always , you wrote this so well M4. So heartfelt.

Bone said...

he'll always have fond memories of elementary school. which is not such a bad thing to have, in the long run. :)

Mamma mia! Me a mamma? said...

@ Dottie: I am keeping my fingers crossed! Thanks!

@ Whippy: Hey! Good to see you here! And commenting on my kiddie story, that too! Thought my 'boob' stories would be getting your guffaw! ;)

@ Indyeah: Yes, genuine love just cannot be kept under wraps.

@ Mon,Ansh: Thank you sweetie! Am standing on the edge rigt now, waiting with bated breath!

@ Moni: I hope so sweetie, I certainly do hope so!

Sparkling said...

Awwwww...that was one priceless Kodak moment! :)
Beautiful.

Anonymous said...

awww..kids r d most beautiful of God's creations,aren't they?
totally adore EO n YO.
whenever someone asked me,i used to tel that a beautiful girl baby's what i want,but i've changed my answer after discovering ur blog. :)
I'd read somewhere that aquarian women make cool moms n i've found it to be true too.am an aquarian myself,so hoping to be join d league of cool moms one day too. :)

Mystic Margarita said...

A great teacher, who genuinely cares for her students, is so hard to come by these days. EO is lucky to have had her as his teacher, and so is she for having such a loving student like him. Hope he has another teacher like her next year.

Piper .. said...

aww so touching! So many emotions..

Sunita Venkatachalam said...

Lovely lovely post, read all the previous ones that you'd linked as well.

Mamma mia! Me a mamma? said...

@ Still: Yes, it certainly was a priceless moment!

@ bhavya: Awww! Thank you! I've always wanted a daughter...I still do, but I wouldn't treat my imps for anything in the world. At the end of the days, babies are babies and they're all addorable, all beauiful, all a blessing! And I bet you'll rock as a super-cool mom!

@ Mystic: Yes, the EO certainly was lucky to have her. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that his luck hasn't run out. After all, he'll need a kind, understanding teacher more than ever, now that he's off to the Big School! Sigh!

@ Piper: Thank you girl! :)

@ Poppins: Welcome woman! Thanks for reading the previous tags and more than that, thanks for your comments! Means a lot to me.