My Paradise

As I set on the road,lugging my knapsack behind,I could not help feeling proud that finally I was going on a philanthropic mission .
As the rickety school bus halted in front of me, dozens of faces popped out to get a clear view, welcoming me with countless smiles and handshakes.The poor children made me feel like a oh-so-famous-celebrity!But the ear splitting ruckus they created along the way shattered all my hopes of behaving like a' nice young teacher'. My disappointment faded away the moment I saw their school engulfed in sunshine,looking like a majestic castle out of a fairytale.
I took the children to a hall where they had to meditate and exercise together.But the entire process was like forcing a bunch of monkeys to behave like civilized folks: a buck-toothed boy slapped Choti, a cheeky girl with long curls and was running around;two girls battled like bulls on the floor and some pupils refused to exercise at all.Even my coaxings of”If you sit quietly,I will click your photo”could not suffice.
The entire classroom bustled with activity as the lessons commenced.The English teacher made them recite alphabets and poems,Hindi teacher gave them tonnes of vacation homework and the Math teacher (Mrs.Hitler)threatened them with her deadly ruler.But’Hitler’s’ heart melted when a boy somehow cut his shins and left footprints of blood around and she carried him in her own arms to the school clinic with tears in her eyes.
I had to postpone my Drawing Class since no sheets were available and took the pupils to the playground instead.I was roaming around taking photos of shy maids draped in colourful sarees,dogs basking in the summer sun and the glorious mountains when the children invited me to play .That tragic day, I was showered with dead grass,chased like a victim and treated like a zoo animal for one full hour... But at the end of the day,I Ioved the entire experience!
As the children descended the bus at their slum, they kissed me goodbye, telling me to visit them again.I wondered how lovely those little ones with disheveled hairs,torn uniforms and broken footwears were.They had helped me forget myself and live and scream in the moment.My terribly lopsided notions of how to live a"Good Life" were shattered to dust.
In the eyes of poor children ,I saw an adventurer who was willing to take on the entire world with his selfless love. A little backyard travel opened up a whole new paradise of learning in my life,thanks to the mercy of those little folks.