Our annual ‘Teachers’ Day Out’ – Having missed out on the last years’ one due to a leg injury, I was hoping that nothing would come in the way of me going this time. Well, everything worked in favour for me!!

Every annual Teachers’ Day Out is similar yet different. The difference could be due to quite some aspects..

– we are a year older from the earlier year and our experiences in the year that passed would have brought in some change in us

–  the venue could be different

– there maybe the presence of some new and the absence of some who were there earlier

– our own mental and emotional state maybe different

etc etc etc..

No matter what, it was certainly a day to look forward to.

The child in us was out in the open and the teacher in us went on leave :-).

No instructions to be given, no serious face to be kept, no monitoring, no ‘eagle eyes’ to observe, no school discussions… so many no’s..

Yes to singing loudly with the lyrics sometimes muddled up, yes to shaking a leg, yes to someone not wanting to sing or shake a leg, yes to a whole lot of  silly giggles and laughter.. so many yes’s..

Whether it is those who conduct games or those who play it, it was fun unlimited. With the ‘teacher on leave’, quite some naughty children were out – either not waiting for turn or answering before the other team could answer the question.

The child that is out in the open, looks at the surroundings with wide eyes, taking in the breath of fresh air, seeing the rabbits and the sheep and the lamb and the donkey and the love birds and the parrots that come to peck on the fruit in the tree. Gives in to the need to lift a lamb ever so gingerly and look at it with awe. Wonderment and joy are the words for this day!!

It is indeed a marvel how an ‘outing’ and to a place that is set amongst trees and farm animals and that rustic farm look, can put everyone so much at ease. It lends many moments of interaction and engagement with no holds barred and with no fear of being judged or assessed or evaluated. That is also when a lot of sharing happens freely. It is a wonder that a similar experience that all of us have, in each of our lives, we have experienced it differently; and the perspectives we have gained from it are very different and yet with some similarities.

When sharing of such experiences happens, one can’t but think how each one of us have handled it in the best way that we could and moved on in life. Such sharing makes us travel back in the journey of life and brings many a memory alive. Memories that bring some reflection which may lead one to a thinking mode; and also has the power to generate much laughter from within us – A laughter so infectious that it has everyone around also infected :-).

It is really amazing how such sharing can radiate much energy – one that emantes such strength and power.. one which shows how much an individual is capable of.. one that lends a sense of pride of being in the environs of such individuals… cherished moments certainly!! Moments for posterity!!

What makes such ‘outings’ even more special is that though we are with people, there are moments when we are with ourselves – moments of reflection or moments of silence. In that reflection or silence is built a bond with all the others who have come for the ‘outing’.

If building of these bonds is what such ‘outings’ are to bring, this one certainly has done that!! It maybe an exhausted journey back from the ‘outing’ but one that was exhaustive in the smiles, laughter and happiness it brought.

This ‘outing’ reminds of what Shri Narendra Modi said to Nikhil Kamath (in the latter’s podcast) about how he used to go somewhere alone for 3 – 4 days. He said,  “I go to meet myself”.

All of us who went for this ‘outing’ perhaps did just that – “We went to meet ourselves” – meeting ourselves and the reflection of ourselves in others.

The best gift that we could have gifted ourselves!!