Hope - Saloni Grover

 The world out there beckons to me,

Whichever way I look there is pain and misery.

Injustice, suspicion, distrust lurks behind,

Every face is a mask, a true friend is hard to find.

Disheartened, discontented, disillusioned

I do not know where to go...

With tears in my eyes and my heart beating with uncertainity,

I tell myself; let the river of time flow.

I want to scream, make myself heard,

Be fearless, unflustered, soar like a bird.

There is something that holds me back with force,

Pins me to the ground, there is sorrow and remorse.

Not knowing what to do

I submit and surrender to fate

Accustomed to sorrow, soon I will be, solitude will be my soulmate.

A bright flash of light makes my heart skip a beat,

And what do I see, Hope herself comes knocking and drops a smile at my feet. Is that a dream, an illusion or destiny’s new trick.

I turn around, warmth and love comes flowing from every window and brick. There is song that echoes in the air,

Tells me to open the doors of my heart and cheer.

The wave of time washes away my wounds,

Soothes the scars,

There is a new moon that shines bright, a new sunrise is not far.

Saloni Grover
Gyanshree School

We are celebrating the value of Hope in June at My Good Schools. Experience the joy of learning, visit www.GoodSchools.in

Peace and Freedom - Mezhu Chopra

I believe peace and freedom are interrelated because one can be at peace only when one is free from things or situations that bind us. The word 'freedom' makes me ponder freedom; from whom, what or where? At times, we only look at the tangible things that we need to break free from, often forgetting how our minds weave together a web by feeding on our deepest insecurities. I was also a victim of my own fears, grappling with the fear of losing my eldest child. 

Starting from his premature birth coupled with multiple health issues, the fear kept growing. Without me knowing, every time we celebrated his birthday, I thought, "What if it's his last birthday"? Over time, the thought of losing him became more prominent even amongst my relatives as visits to the doctor became more frequent. When my child turned 12, he suffered a major health issue, which further gripped me with fear. The next morning, as I was meditating on the Scriptures, I came across this verse, “For by Him all things were created, and in Him, all things hold together". I heard a voice asking me if worrying would help me add one day to my child's life. At that moment, I decided to surrender my fear into God's hands and let his will prevail over my child.  Words cannot comprehend the peace I experienced 16 years ago as I freed myself from the clutches of fear. Although the health issues continued for a few more years, I was no longer living in fear.

Mezhu Chopra
The Doon Girls's School, Dehradun