..something beautiful always remain!!!
I had read this quote on a friend’s scrapbook years ago. It stays with me even now- though the beautiful moments have passed, our pics help us to relive them. I’m a great photography lover- doesn’t mean I’m good at it. But I love clicking and when I found this prompt at Write Tribe’s Wednesday Prompt #19, I was happy to go back to my old pics- only to relive them.
Choose two photos you treasure, and write a poem, a post about it. Talk about the memories that surround it.
I was chosen from my “School House” to participate in the English Declamation competition. Talking of my school, I studied in a military boarding school for boys! Yes, you heard it right! My Dad works in the same school and hence I could get an admission there. To give you a statistics, there would be hardly 8 to 9 girls in a school of 800 boys. 😛 It was fun though- if you know what I mean 😉 Declamation is usually clubbed with the English Recitation competition. And declamation is open only for the passing out cadets. When I was chosen, I thought it was a piece of cake. But, I was given a three page write up of the famous Mother Teresa’s Nobel Peace Prize speech. I was flabbergasted! You can read the entire speech here.
On the eve of the D-day, I was trying to mug up not completely understanding what I was reading. It was literally burning the midnight oil as the power had gone off. I was hungry and in tried to get something from the kitchen to satisfy my hunger. I happily had a bowl of rice with curd and mango pickle. Half way through eating, my Mom asked what I was gobbling on. She was devastated. What I didn’t know was that I had just devoured a large helping of pickle which was laced with mould, fungi and other ‘green’ additives, which were not a part of the original recipe.
Needless to say, I was sick the whole night. I didn’t have any energy in me to even stand up on stage. I was weak from all the puking and well…!!! But I delivered the speech…“There is so much suffering, so much hatred, so much misery, and we with our prayer, with our sacrifice are beginning at home. Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the action that we do…..”
Oh yes, I had one the First Prize that evening. What came as a bane, indeed turned out to be a boon, a blessing!! Since I was sick, my voice was fragile, weak and delicate. It was feeble enough to match Mother Teresa’s voice and I had won! Hands down! That’s me- all smiles 😀 😀
vishalbheeroo says
Some memories are priceless and brave of you to deliver with gusto despite the illness and uneasiness:)
Shalzzz says
Thanks Vishal 🙂
Shilpa Garg says
Wow! That’s interesting and fab that you won the prize despite sickness! 🙂
Shalzzz says
Thanks Shilpa 🙂
Shailaja/ The Moving Quill says
Kudos, Shalini. Despite the ‘pickle’ you found yourself in, you made a great speech! Well done!
Shalzzz says
Hihi.. laughing out loud.. thanks shailaja.. 😀
The Vanilla Housewife says
That made smile. Great post Shalini!
Shalzzz says
Thanks Jhanis.. 🙂
Kalpana Solsi says
What a ‘pickly post’. but the pickles helped you to win a first prize. and treasure the memory for a life-time.
Bikramjit says
Awesome ..and well done to you..so the pickle did not make the speech go pickle..
Lovely memories. .
jini says
Hi!!!First time at your blog, and loved every bit of it. Being a malu I would be keeping a track of your food posts especially.
confusedhumanity says
🙂 :)…i bet u never regretted eating all those pickle, despite the puking and the bad night 🙂
The Weekend Baker says
Well done, Shalini. I bet you’ve never raided the fridge in the dark since that night. 🙂
swathishenoy says
Aha 😀 The sickness turned out to be a blessing 😀 But of course it wouldn’t have been possible if you hadn’t practiced for it 🙂 And 8 girls amidst 800 boys? Oh that would have been one hell of crazy time 😀 Beautiful memories 🙂
Kikibee says
That’s nice! God Bless 🙂
Beloo Mehra says
What a lovely memory from school days 🙂 Perhaps all those ‘green’ additives did came in handy to give you the right voice in which to deliver the speech 🙂 It was fun reading this. And you look so pretty in those pictures!
Vinodini Iyer says
Some memories bring smiles to our faces instantly…more so if they are from childhood. I’m sure your recitation was pretty spicy in spite of your being unwell after having that pickle 😉
Anupama says
Congratulations once again. Your speech is very well worded.
http://www.volatilespirits.com