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Since I started writing this feature nearly a year ago, the world continues to evolve; the cycle of revenge continues in the occupied West Bank, progressively killing innocent people by the day; heinous crimes by an alien group with a sick and misguided ideology ravage cities from Madrid to Riyadh and American soldiers embody democracy in Iraq by urinating on people. However shocking these crimes are, I choose not to reflect on the ills of our society in this farewell valedictory. This is a happy occasion.
Leys Class of 2004 – Congratulations to you all. On 3 July, all of us in the Upper Sixth wave goodbye to school and 13 years of education on what will be a nostalgic day. We have made it. Whatever the results will be and I’m sure they’ll be good, God willing; the fact that respiration involves ATP or how to construct the conditional tense in French will fade in the collective fog of our joy. An education involves more than the books that we have peered over during the past few months - what we will take with us are a plethora of life skills; the talent to understand intelligence; the ability to appreciate different perspectives on life; understanding that there is real value in everyone’s point of view and the vision to see the good and the bad in every person. Our greatest teacher will always be experience. As we walk out of the school gates for the last time as Leysians, these are the qualities that we will forever carry in our hearts through every day.
And for our parents, who have nurtured us from day one, only to be told on a starlit evening, ‘Mom, why can’t I hang out with John from school only until 3am’ or ‘Dad- you cannot be serious. I’m not getting up to anything naughty with that girl. I hate you… you don’t love me.’ Parents – whatever anyone says, you have done your best, whoever we turn out to be or wherever we end up. You will miss your children when you enthusiastically drop them off at college whether or not they want you there. And, they will miss you too, in a month for about twenty minutes, when they get fed up of ready to eat Macaroni cheese and yearn for home-cooked food. We know that our ancestors have toiled through pain and hardship to give us the privilege of a good education. If any of you are bereft, don’t be, you’ve done all you can and now it’s up to us.
And for the graduating class in our perpetual search for friends - remember the words of Persian poet Jalaludin Rumi, ‘If you are looking for a friend who is faultless, you will be friendless.’ If we’ve learnt tolerance, we must spread it, for in this age of hysteria we need as much as we can find. Our sense of security has changed from the time when we entered the Balgarnie gates. We are a different people with new ambitions, stronger values and a vision for the future, but we cannot allow others to change us. The tongue is the deadliest weapon- one word, one misunderstanding and you’re out. Thinking in metaphors, a Muslim theologian once said that the tongue should be behind the heart. If you think about that there’s a lot of wisdom in it. No matter how much you want to win, you can’t do it on other people’s credit. In the face of all this, we cannot lose the capacity to criticize ourselves, initiating change from the heart. We cannot afford to carry on without genuine concern for everyone – love even those you revile.
Continue to think, believe and show everyone else that you are nothing but the best. Our confidence must be everlasting and our fear can be overcome. It is this that will help us to strive not only for ourselves but for every man, woman and child. Dedication is a contagious spirit, and with it you and those warmed by your fire can fight worthy battles in any pursuit. Khalil Gibran captured the essence of this life-force when he wrote that ‘work is love made visible. If you cannot work with love but only with distaste then it is better and you should leave your work, sit at the gate of the temple and take alms from those who work with joy.’
So, we’ve survived the last hurdle. We’re going to get some good grades at least, and if we’ve got this far without falling flat on the upper quad then we can go anywhere we want to go. These are the values that you will cling to. If you’re not going to follow any of my advice in the near future, at least keep smiling! Seize the day today and enjoy all the seeds that you have sown.
Oh, yes -one more thing: try not to get into debt.
I wish you all happiness and peace. To the parents, teachers, friends, and alumni who are reading this, I thank you. Congratulations not only to the graduating class but to you all. Each one of you has provided light for this journey, and you’ve done an outstanding job.
Mom and dad, family and friends, if I could open my heart to you, it is filled with your trust, your admiration, your wisdom, and all the memories we have shared side by side.
I love you all.
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Omar S. Roomi
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xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Saira | May 31st, 2004
Omar, this article is really great!! but then...all your articles are! keep writing..so that when you're rich n famous i can tell everyone we're friends..xxxxxxxxxx
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