Joy Of Learning Diaries

The picture shows how Totto-chan's uncle used to pick her up and ask her if she could see Osaka. It was her dream place. She was much more excited when she got to know Takahashi - a young boy in her school who came from Osaka. Now tell me something. Can You See Osaka? Rishona Chopra Grade VI Gyanshree School

Hey, 'how you doin'?'. This infamous dialogue, iconic, I might add, is a signature of Joey from the hit sitcom 'Friends'. I honestly couldn't count how many times it had made me laugh, even when I was at my lowest. The perfect life of cinema where everything seems to lead to a happy ending is the perfect run-away for me when my life seems shattered. Whenever my life seems too much to handle, I run away to my imaginary friends, with whom I can share everything. The amazingly sarcastic Chandler, the hopeless romantic Ted dedicated to finding 'The One', the motherly nature of Lily, the overprotective Finn, the 'drowning with creativity' Barney, the 'smart guy' Sheldon, they all are the friends I never had. I get scolded every single day for watching television way too much. But the truth is that I love to live another life, and coming back to my regular boring, uninteresting life just seems hectic. Even if they are just a figment of so

You call it life? It’s just a game. Looking for a shelter, When under rain. Thinking about what to do, Coming out in pain. Realizing too late, Figuring out what’s main. Figured out what to do? But, now, you’re stuck in chains. Chains rising high, All the struggle went in vain. What for? Just to have substantial gain! Reaching your destination, Looking at a lane. See where it leads to, A ring surrounded by canes. Entered it only to see a spark Leading to flames Looking around to escape, But now you’re too deep, It’ll never be the same! Reveda Bhatt  Class 9 The Aryan School

Thank you, god, For not making me a fraud, For helping me through my little pains, You just kept pleasing me again and again. I have a home, My family has money to travel to Rome! I can see and hear, When I think of this, in front of me, you appear. I can study, and I can feel, I can have a tasty meal. I am healthy, Thank god I am not nasty. I can see a new day, I can play! I go to a beautiful school, Which is really so cool. I can do so much, yet I ask for more, I already have a lot, and I don't need anymore! Rishona Chopra Grade VI Gyanshree School

J ournaling is keeping a diary. You don't have to write long letters. A few drawings, page tearing, or even a few sentences can say it all. I like to call my journal - My Little Book Of Feelings because, in a day, I have so many feelings. In the morning, I am all happy and bright, and by the end of the day, all gloomy and sad. You never know! I am very unpredictable if you talk about my feelings. You don't need to have a proper diary, just take a piece of paper and vent all your feelings. But then, when you have an excellent journal, and at the end of the week, you look at what you have written, you can reflect on your situations in a better way. I think expressing yourself by writing is much better because when you tell them with a person not necessary, they would actually understand your feelings, but that's just my way of doing it! On the cover of my diary I have written - Open if you dare, don't you dare try to do that and of course have used lots of stickers and de

Today on International Yoga Day, Why don't we pray, For healthy lives for everyone, And that bad times don't touch anyone! Let's wake up with a happy morning, And exercise a bit which will surely be rewarding! Butterfly pose or the wheel pose, You can even stand on your toes. At least you can do some meditation, It will free your mind from unnecessary information. So let's wish everyone a very happy International Yoga Day, And let's celebrate the moment by being happy and gay! Rishona Chopra  Grade VI Gyanshree School

Acceptance is considering people as they are. It is not knowing people's faults and not talking about them. That is being sympathetic. Acceptance is to not even realise one has flaws or is disabled; it is just to consider them equal to you. In the book Totto-chan, Takahashi was short, but no one talked about it because they probably didn't realise that he was disabled or had faults. They just accepted him as a child.  When we grow up, we know more, we know the faults, we know when one is disabled and when we see that, we even stop feeling pity for them! That is why our brain cannot use it to its total capacity because the more we know, the more problems we create. Life will unfold itself. We don't have to force it to open its destiny.  In an extract from Peter Pan, Peter says to Wendy: Children don't believe in fairies because they know more than what they are supposed to know, and that's why fairies are fading from the world. Accepting people is looking at their go

Every day, we encounter different people with different personalities, some are very judgemental, or some don't judge according to their appearance. A few years ago, I met a woman who was an acid attack survivor. Her face was very burnt out that the nagging aunties would gossip about her. She heard the conversation but did not say anything. I was a little judgemental at the time of the situation. I dared to talk to the woman, but the aunties made her go away from the avenue. Was it essential to make her go away? As she is not beautiful like others. That's what Acceptance is... accepting others, not based on looks, clothes, or wealth. Accepting limitations of friends and family important, like:  Snoring,  Sleepwalking and incidents like the story of Takahashi. In addtion we must  follow some habits of friends too. 'Takahashi,' the value is Acceptance, like Totto-chan accepts the boy as her friend. Can't we accept others as our friends? Will you still not receive a pe

My reflection post reading Totto-chan.  What are the similarities and differences between Totto-chan and Simar? Totto-chan is a free-spirited person who loves to find joy in the most mischievous and different activities. Even though, I try not to engage in playful activities, I love to try new things. Totto-chan is not outcome-driven. She likes to live in the moment and enjoy something to its extent. However, I am very much outcome driven and am a future-oriented person. She wants to just go for things. While, I am someone who creates a list of pros and cons in my mind even before taking small steps and think of worst-case scenarios and best-case scenarios and all the possible outcomes of taking that step. And thus, I take a long time to make even the simplest of decisions. I wish I were more of a spontaneous person like Totto-chan but growing up seems to get in the way of that. But nonetheless, I try. I try to take chances and just go for it. But at the end of the day, I try to safe s

I wish I could be a little more like her,  for Totto-Chan would be a true dreamer,  Her incidents can make you laugh out loud,  and her innocence can create love around.  Totto-Chan is so much fun,        She can pass through barbed wires without a grunt,    She makes up her own crazy games,  and plays them without any aims.  I have never seen another like her,  So sensitive and empathetic,  and yet so succumb.  She can make anyone a friend,  from Takashi to Yasuaki-Chan,  all of them are mates.  Totto-Chan is truly a gem,  living the way she loves to,  by sliding down a cesspool,  or standing in the sand for a time too long! I wish I could be a little more like her! Anvesha Rana,  Grade 10-B,  Gyanshree School