A friend is the hope of the heart...
Good friends help you to find important things when you have lost them…..
Your SMILE, your HOPE, and your COURAGE.
‘Oft hope is born when all is forlorn’
In 2015, a grade 10 student Sachin lost his father to suicide due to financial crisis. His father had hung himself to the ceiling fan of their living room when everyone in the house was fast asleep. He had left a handwritten note to Sachin’s mother, which read “I m sorry …but I can't face it any more”.
Sachin, who was the only child to his parents, his entire life was shattered. He himself was an introvert but a smart child, having only one friend Sunny. He used to share almost everything with him about what he was going through. After a months’ time, when he came to school, he was trying so hard to overcome all his emotions. That sudden loss of his father who was his hero had broken him completely.
Sachin shared a good bond with his class teacher, Mrs Paul but somehow he was reluctant to open up with her as well. Mrs Paul spoke to Sunny and got to know that Sachin was not in a good mental state and has tried to harm himself on several occasions; he had lost hope in life. Mrs Paul then called Sachin and tried speaking to him. Sachin initially was reluctant but then told her “ Whenever I see my dad’s photo I feel how selfish he was to run away from his problems and put us in this grave situation where my mother is struggling every day to arrange basic needs”. He further said he is not comfortable with his classmates as they all belonged to rich families and he found himself out of place.
On hearing this Sunny immediately held his hand and told him money never comes between friendship and he is always there by Sachin’s side. They both hugged each other and cried a lot. Mrs Paul sowed a seed of Hope in Sachin by saying, “ In the midst of any turmoil of life, just remember there is always a ray of light waiting for you on the other side of the dark tunnel and you should walk towards the light“. She convinced him to be optimistic in his life and look ahead as he had to take care of his family. After lots of counselling by his teacher, over a period of time, Sachin was finally looking to a better life and eventually was academically stronger.
Today after 5 years, when Mrs Paul met Sachin he was totally a changed person full of hope and optimism with Sunny by his side. Sachin thanked Mrs Paul for igniting the hope in him and Sunny for his friendship.
Sometimes all you need is a strong FRIEND to hold you in your difficult times and an educator to guide you towards that ray of light called HOPE.
A friend gives hope when life is low, a friend is a place when you have nowhere to go, a friend is honest, a friend is true. A friend is precious, a friend is you….
Engaging Minds @ Billabong High International School Thane
- Ginny Franklin, Yojana Suryarao, Ishita Thakkar, Kiran Pandey, Nilka Gandhi, Geeta Mali, Meenaz Khan.