It was an evening filled with nostalgic feelings and euphoria.
We wish you a merry Christmas… and a happy New Year…
Oh, the sound of lovely carols in the frosty air. I had almost forgotten the melody of these simple oft repeated words. But a visit to the quaint Mount Carmel School campus in Navrangpura on a chilly Saturday evening brought back fond memories of more than a decade. The girl's convent school of Ahmedabad had a Christmas reunion, which witnessed a great turnout - much to the surprise and delight of everyone. They were 80-year-olds, some in their 60s and yet others in early 20s - all curious to know about each other. Across eight decades, these ladies have had the same connect - their school experience.
The building still looks the same as it did in the '90s, the smell is the same; the teachers too still look the same - well almost, but it's the students who seem have changed the most with every passing year. Principal of the school, Sister Prescilla Lobo, was visibly delighted to see us all. She seems to have an inherent enthusiasm to bring people together and make them connect - her contagious smile not to be missed.
And this marked the fourth 'get-together' event of the school in the past year. After 85 years of existence in Ahmedabad, last year, Carmelites felt the need to connect with each other, to form an alumni association. The initial response was "lukewarm" but at the last count, I am told, we have registered around 250 members. This, one of them added, is a feat of sorts, because other schools' associations, after a decade of their existence, had gathered not more than 60!
There were two generations of ladies — mothers and daughters — both alumni! There were 80 year-olds, there were 20 years old — and they got talking, reminiscing about the school — did we mention a generation gap here? One of the most striking things of the gathering was the heterogeneity of the crowd. Some ladies flaunted their well-being and some didn't, while others their distinct religious identity.
Life has changed much since we walked out of school, but it is so heartening to know that the school is still the same. When I was chatting with other students from the early 80s batch, I felt we are easily a generation apart, but we are so similar. The more things change, the more they remain the same.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}