Freedom- Aanya Kumar

We usually hear our elders saying, "Our country has freedom... I am free to do what I want." But, do you think they are right? Actually, to some extent, they are. Our country became free from British rule in 1947. We mark off this great, joyous and independent by celebrating Independence day. However, doing whatever you want doesn't mean to do crimes. But, the critical question is what is freedom. Freedom is when we do not feel as if we are under the control of someone.

Let me explain this with a short story-

Rihan was busy watching a show when his twin brother, Ashish, called him. "Oh! Stop this show already... we have things to plan for the party tomorrow," said Ashish. Rihan replied, "What for? And anyway, this is the limited edition of the show. I am lucky to get it..." "Tomorrow is Independence day. If our country was not free, we would be limited to do almost everything... even seeing these shows." At this, Rihan jumped up. His instant question was how he could come of use. The brothers gave the best effort in making the party victorious, and they saw a movie about the sacrifice of Indians for freedom. Rihan understood the importance of freedom.

You see how important our freedom is? At the same time, we should ensure that we are not taking advantage of it.

An act of Courtesy - Shambhavi Nautiyal

 Once, not very long ago, lived a woman named Annie. She was one of the workers at a cinema hall. One day, as usual, she was rushing for getting ready to go to work. She woke up late and thus could get fired if she got late again. Annie grabbed some milk hastily to drink it on the way to work as she didn’t have breakfast. As soon as she reached the place, she saw her boss, the manager, on his phone talking to someone. While he was busy on it, Annie took the chance and surreptitiously got to her popcorn counter. She felt famished by now as the milk wasn’t enough for her, so she drank some water as an alternative to reduce her hunger and started her shift. She did her work as usual, but she saw a man who seemed to be eerie. He looked old, pale and weak. 

The famished man started coming towards the popcorn counter, making weird faces. Annie thought that he must have wanted popcorn to eat just like the other customers, but instead, he signalled her to come closer and whispered in her ear, “I have no money, I have come here to find someone. Don’t tell anyone, I’ll stay here for some time and leave.’’ Annie didn’t know what to do as if her boss got to know, then it could get her in trouble, and if she did keep his secret and let him stay there, who knows if he could be some sly burglar. Whilst she was busy overthinking, the old man fell onto his knees and held his heart. Annie started to panic and immediately called 112 and told the hospital call attendant to send an ambulance ASAP. 

The ambulance arrived after some time while the old man’s condition worsened every minute. A nurse came out and helped the man get onto the hospital bed, and the man somehow pleaded for Annie to come with them. Though she felt herself out of place, she eventually agreed to see his condition. They reached the hospital, and the nurse took him to the ICU. Before going in there, the old man whispered something in Annie’s ear which made her feel even more at sea. He told her that she’d find a woman who looked exactly like her if she went to the end of the hallway. The nurse told Annie that he was being consulted by Dr Philips. She heard that not giving much attention and went to the end of the hallway only to find a girl staring at a picture. Annie requested her to turn around, and when she did, Annie was shell-shocked to see that what the old man had said was true and realized that it was her sister who had got lost a long time ago. They put each other in their warm embrace right after seeing each other. Annie told her sister about all that happened all those years and just a few moments ago. She held a conversation for some time when suddenly Dr Philips came and said, “The old man is totally fine and as soon as we diagnosed him his heart rate and breathe came to normal, and he told us to inform his granddaughter, which I suppose is you. You can meet him if you want to.” Annie felt amazed, grateful, bewildered, and inquisitive to know who this old man mentioned her as his granddaughter, helped her get back with her sister and become sick to normal in 5 minutes. She rushed to the unit with doctor Philips and Betty (Her sister) only to find a few feathers without any sign of the old man. Annie always remembered this incident and lived a gleeful life with her sister.

Shambhavi Nautiyal
Grade VII

Ahlcon Public School

Freedom - Ushita Saxena

What is Freedom? Have you ever wondered about that? Generally, Freedom can act or change without constraint. The power or right to speak, act or think the way one wants to. To do something without someone controlling you. It is essential in life. There are many types of Freedom such as:

1)Freedom of belief: the right to hold any belief.
2)Freedom of speech: The right of an individual or a community to say their opinions and ideas without fear.
 
We should have the right to seek and receive information and ideas of one’s choice.
 
Why is Freedom the essence of life? It is because it helps us express ourselves, allowing us to become what we want to become. We should have the Freedom to think and make our own decisions.
 
“ Freedom is being you without anyone’s permission”.

Ushita Saxena

Grade V

Gyanshree School

Are your thoughts free - Rishona Chopra

Often people say things that hurt us and then capture our thoughts. 
Like, when someone says, “you are not good at drawing at all. I am much better.” These things hurt us, and then we usually start criticizing ourselves. Their thoughts about us capture our thoughts. What people say about us is not necessarily who we are. 
We are who we think we are, so if we start thinking about ourselves as someone else thinks, our thoughts are not free. We are not free at all.

So people can say what they want to, of course, if they say something we must see if what they are saying is true but if not then don’t think about what they say because if your mind doesn’t have free thoughts, then you are not free and if you are not free then how will you be happy and if you are not satisfied then how will you feel peace and if you have no peace then you don’t have a wonderful, happy and peaceful life. And I’m sure all of us want a happy life. Don’t we?

Rishona Chopra Grade V Gyanshree School

Freedom - Somnath Sengupta

The word “Freedom” has a different meaning for different people. For some, Freedom means to go anywhere they want; for some others, it means to think freely, and for some, it means to do what they want to do. The work Freedom has a lot of importance for our country India. India was under British rule for more than 300 years, and many people sacrificed their lives for our country's Freedom.

From the time I understood, I always heard a story from my parents regarding our pet parrot. My father had a pet parrot, and she was called “Meethi”. She was there at our house when she was just a few days old. She was very loved and pampered, and unlike other parrots, she used to have breakfast with my father and enjoyed folds like maggie and aloo paratha. Everyone told my parents that birds like parrots cannot be tamed, and they love their Freedom and will not even think to fly away whenever she gets a chance. Days passed by, and Meethi grew up to be a beautiful parrot. When I was a few months old, there was a massive storm and a lot of damage. All the glass windows of our house were broken. The glass window in the balcony where Meethi lived in her treehouse was also broken.

As I heard from my parents, both of them were busy putting things into place, without even realizing that Meethi was not speaking at all. When they went to check Meethi, they were shocked. Meethi was no longer in her treehouse. The glass window was broken, and she flew away. This is the importance of Freedom; she forgot all the comforts, love, and pampering and the moment she got the Freedom to fly in the open sky, she did not even think for a moment.

This is the meaning of Freedom, something which is dear to human beings and every living being.

Somnath Sengupta
Grade VI
Ahlcon Public School

Confined Anomaly - Sanskriti Agrawal

 

With what it's like in my mind,

At times I wonder,

If another soul

Could survive in here.

 

Am I an anomaly?

For the world just wouldn't leave me be.

Hurled into the chaos,

Left to suffocate in my own head.

 

Silence rests on the outer shell,

But all my insides yearn to yell.

Like a claustrophobic maniac,

Confined inside a stifling cell.

 

Anxious needles beneath my skin,

Stabbing me from deep within.

With what it's like, inside my mind,

I cannot help but wonder:

Will I ever truly, be free?

Sanskriti Agrawal
Grade IX
Ahlcon Public School

Beating The Odds - Shambhavi Nautiyal

 

I absolutely agree with the chapter and how it describes our behaviour and self-consoling excuses. This seems quite relatable as I have seen this same thing going all around me while growing up. It still has not stopped, and people still do it. I’m not going to lie;this chapter shall help other students and children in becoming vigilant about how this habit of consoling ourselves of not achieving something because of a reason which may not even affect us.Eventually resulting in becoming a hurdle in the path of success. I too used to do this often whenever I messed up and regret my decision but, in all honesty, I’ll shall now try to not do that and handle the situations while just letting it go and do my utmost. This chapter showed aspects of the lives of different people(such as, Bethoven, Rolls Royce, Steven Spielberg, Jean- Dominique  Bauby) with distinct bodily disabilities which soon turned into their abilities, setting ideals for kids and many other aspirants. In my view this chapter gives the message of believing in ourselves, letting go of the fears and negative possibilities, dreaming about whatever we want to be or wish to do, and just try. 

We should never think that we can’t do something because of a body disability, a financial condition, support system, misfortune or anything which we cannot change.

Thank you!

Shambhavi Nautiyal
Grade VII
Ahlcon Public School

Freedom - Pavni Gupta

Freedom, it is a pretty common word everyone has heard of. If you ask people, the meaning may differ for everyone.  

For someone, it may mean the freedom of going anywhere they want, whereas, for some, it may mean the liberty of speaking anything, it may also indicate the freedom of saying anything, and for some, it may be no restrictions. After all, everyone has their own perspectives. 

According to some books and dictionaries, it even means independence. The real value of anything is understood only by the people who have earned it or have sacrificed to achieve it. For example – the ladies who raised the voice of the right to vote.

Pavni Gupta
Class 8B 
Ahlcon Public School

Making Others Happy - Rishona Chopra

Reading from Is Your Child Ready To Face The World?
By Dr Anupam Sibal

Rishona Chopra

Grade V
Gyanshree School, Noida

Making Others Happy - Simar Kaur

The beauty of life does not depend on how happy you are but how happy others can be because of you. Every time we make someone happy, an indescribable feeling enters our body. It makes your day better, and at night you can go to sleep feeling better about yourself. Life is meaningless without compassion, love, empathy, and sympathy. It seems to be even more pointless if one is not happy. It is human nature to discover more and more ways to be more comfortable and more content with life. Many people find contentment and satisfaction by making others happy, and it works like a charm. The quest for happiness is not proportional to the pursuit of money, fame, or success. It's a quest present in the heart. If we follow our hearts, we will be happy with ourselves at the end of the day.

How can we be happy? There isn't one definite answer to that question. But there is a way, that is to make others happy. In his book 'Is your child ready to face the world', Dr Anupam Sibal names two famous personalities who followed their heart and made the world happier. Walt Disney made beautifully animated stories. His legacy continues till now. Many people find happiness in watching his stories and visiting 'Disneyland' each year. His creation Mickey Mouse makes millions of children laugh and smile. The second person Dr Sibal named was Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin made millions of people happy without even uttering a single word. The way he mended pain to be humour made him distinct from many others. His creativity is genuinely commendable.

One more person who made millions happy was a man named 'Jaspal Bhatti'. He continues to bring a smile to people's faces even today, after almost 9 years of his passing away. He is known for his satirical take on the common man's problems. Watching his episodes has been a bonding activity for my father and me. His humorous shows and witty acting have never failed to make us happy.

Making others happy is what can help us attain joy and happiness. It makes us more comfortable than anything else. If we even make a little effort and make someone happy every day, we will be happier with ourselves. That can make all the difference in the world.

Simar Kaur

Grade IX

Gyanshree school