By Vinita Shenoy
(An extract from a Principal’s speech to the Graduating batch of High school)
Sometimes people will open the door for you, some will hold it open for you and some will shut it in your face. What will you do?
Students – It is time to write your own story.
Now! think about this - there is no official coronation ceremony held to declare the lion as the king of jungle. He becomes the king by his own attributes. Hence each one of you, with your own purpose and mission of life, have every right to sing your own song by following your own instincts and intuitions for personal growth. The secret to life is to put yourself in the right lightning, for some it is a Broadway spotlight, for others a lamp lit desk. Use
your natural powers to do work you love and work that matters.
Solve. Make Art, think deeply., invent a cure for substance addiction- the biggest cancer in society, whatever you do be a joy not hurt for others. You know, when I was growing up I was not anywhere close to the top in class. Around top 20 percent coming around 15th in
class out of 75. And it was not good for my mother who was a teacher. You see most people think a teacher’s child should always get full marks. I wonder if the same applies to other
profession like a Doctor’s child should never fall sick or a pilot’s child should never walk to school.
Its funny right when we have fixed notions in our minds, we quickly judge others.
So when I was growing up I loved painting and embroidery, repairing things, or creating something of discarded stuff. But it was reviewed as –Ah! nice. And the sort always distracted to - Now how many marks you got on the geography test? But today you have the world at your fingertips. Today you have the school management and my team that takes the baton and runs those numerous laps allowing you to develop your skills and attitudes besides so many other things.
Remember the road to success is always, always, always under construction. You’ve heard-life is a journey not a destination. So you keep building it along the way. Make mistakes but learn to put new asphalt on it. But keep learning. Actually I picked a few things from your yearbook.
-I learnt to quote: I never memorized something, I could look up. -
-Smart girl No wonder u carried away so many trophies.
- Whatever you do always Give 100% , unless you are giving blood.
- Good come back line: I am not short, I am just down to earth.
- I have lived a thousand lives through books, now it is time to write my own story.
I would always like to thank my arms for always being besides me, my legs for always supporting me and my fingers because I can always count on them. – YOU guys are good. God bless!
Vinita Shenoy is a Principal at Gateway College Colombo. And as a nurturer by nature, she motivates teachers and students to grow individually and as a team. Ms. Shenoy believes, “when the wind of change blows, some build walls, others build windmills”.
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