Happy Teacher’s Day… Guru Corona!

Dear Readers,

Education is the cornerstone of a civilised society, a conscientious nation and a progressive world. Educators, therefore, are revered as the crucial architects of a peaceful present and a thriving future. We owe much to our teachers; their influence in our lives extends way beyond the classroom. When we reminisce our days in school and college, it is our teachers we first recall. Also respectfully called ‘Guru’, the teacher is an awakener with a big heart, who helps shape little minds. They mean the world to us, which is why we celebrate our fabulous educators with great zest the world over, every year, on 5th September – Happy Teacher’s Day to all!

But, be it Teacher’s Day or Guru Purnima, there is no denying that the foremost title of ‘Teacher Of The Times’ goes, most deservedly, to none other than our deadly, ‘Guru Corona’! Everything, it is said, happens for a reason, and a large component of that reason is for us to have learnt from it. Insomuch, ‘Professor Pandemic’ has surely been a great teacher – fast-forwarding our learning curves with such gusto, it’s literally been taking our breath away! And boy, have we been learning our lessons!

The undoing of the human species, with the onset of the novel coronavirus – bringing life, all across the world, to a screeching halt – resulted in the very obvious amelioration of Mother Nature. The curfews and lockdowns, the mandatory norms – social distancing, wearing masks, sanitization routines, et al, have given us time to step back and re-introduce us to those lost parts of ourselves; and to reflect and re-evaluate it all – our vulnerabilities, our strengths, our fears, our priorities, our lives. The learning – which has been simultaneously deadly and holistic, from the teacher – that has been simultaneously unsparing and overwhelming, has taught all us all to be simultaneously considerate and intelligent. 

It reminds us to value and respect our fellow-human educators all the more, as beautifully worded by Aristotle, “Those who educate children well are more to be honored than parents, for these only gave life, those – the art of living well.”

A big Thank You and Happy Teachers Day to all our wonderful mentors! And now, Guru Corona, please… leave!

Have a lovely weekend!

– Anahita