Relocating the Teenage Soul
The ‘mantra’ of the teenage soul since time immemorial is “We
are the World….”It transcends the boundaries of time and space. This realization
crept out from the closet of my mind when I suddenly came upon a piece of
graffiti on a classroom desk. It was a flamboyant presentation of the blissful teenage
heart and a promising youthful mind with a strong belief in carpe diem. I kept
wondering -- was it a mirror of distended ego or a platform to represent
creativity at is nascent stage???
Graffiti on walls, bridges, monuments, trees, library books
are a common sight – an earnest desire to defy the ravages of time. “Nor
Mars his sword nor war's quick fire shall burn the living record of your memory.
’Gainst death and all-oblivious enmity shall you pace forth;” echoing
the words of Shakespeare the carved trove stands tall. The universal feeling of
the teenage mind tries to etch a niche for them in this fast pacing world – a
sense of belongingness…. Creating a community the artists carry on the legacy
beyond an individual creation, a FB account with notes and anecdotes, likes and
dislikes credited to its account.
Being a teacher I must take a tough stand but I am reminded
of the nitty-gritty of my childhood in the memoirs and notebooks when our minds
would fly out past the classroom walls and blackboards. With the new
generation, the scope has broadened in all its aspects. So I become a
facilitator instead. The pursuit to carve the Graffiti of self discipline in
the tabula rasa of their mind makes me move out of the catch 22 situation. The
journey from We are the World to We and the World is a continuous and progressive
one. This urge to relocate the teenage soul has made all the difference.
Our life is transitory, so trying to leave an indelible mark
is in vogue. Media in all its forms have tried to present a platform for us to
express ourselves at our caprice. Little do we realize that “Nothing besides
remain….” Time is a great leveller so Bon Voyage to all the travellers with a
‘difference’.
