A Walk Down Memory Lane!
One of my teachers from high school was leaving. She was moving to Wollongong. I decided to get her a gift and see her for the last time. This particular teacher was one of my favourite and in a way the most "influential" of them all. She helped me alot with my studies, publics speaking and getting elected as School Captain. So I thought that it was the least I could do. To go see her.
I haven't been back to my high school in a very long time. It might have been almost a year since the last time I walked down the streets of my high school. And the thing that I guess I didn't prepare for was the emotionally connections that had been rooted in the streets of my high school. This might sound unusual and strange but as I was walking down the street I felt really emotioanl and began on a journey of memories. I began to remember the other students walking down the same street as me, the friends I had, the moments that made me laugh, the moments that really shaped me to become the person I am today. A large part of me right now has been due to the influence, the people and the surroundings of my high school. And so, I feel that I have to give so much of myself back to that school.
At this point, I was walking really slowly, cherishing the moment I have right at that hour to, I guess come back to my "roots". I felt a little nostalgic and really emotional as I remember that at this time last year, I just finished my HSC, i ended my high school life, and I was on my way to Indonesia for holidays. As I was reminiscing to those times, I heard a airplane fly pass and I looked up and saw it was a Qantas flight. At that moment a rush of all the memories of my last year in high school came flooding into my mind. The highlights, the lowlights, the happy times and the sad times were reminded.
- how i long to be back in high school. the "innocence" of my world then -
My high school was located next to a church and I remember always that one of the Catholic sisters would walk by and say 'hi', or they would be gardening in the sun and right at that moment, I saw ahead of me was one of the sisters. I remember how she would stop me at my tracks and just chat with me about life, school, future etc. I remember exactly the conversations we would have and I though to myself, 'would she remember who I was?' and as I was walking closer and closer towards her, she smiled and walked by with her umberalla, reminding me of the first time I had my encounter with her.
My high school was located next to a church and I remember always that one of the Catholic sisters would walk by and say 'hi', or they would be gardening in the sun and right at that moment, I saw ahead of me was one of the sisters. I remember how she would stop me at my tracks and just chat with me about life, school, future etc. I remember exactly the conversations we would have and I though to myself, 'would she remember who I was?' and as I was walking closer and closer towards her, she smiled and walked by with her umberalla, reminding me of the first time I had my encounter with her.
Just a smile. Then a chat. Then a conversation. Then memories, which become, sadly, my past.
At this point on my journey back to my high school, I was passing the church. The day was bright and glorious as I squinted my eyes to look up at the Holy Cross. I took a moment to thank God for what I have and for all that i have achieved. I remember how every year when it was exams time I would walk to school with my notes and trying to squash as much as possible into my brain just beofre the exam but then to stop as I was getting closer to the church. When I got to the church I would fold away my notes and give a simple and short prayer for my exams. Though it was not a long prayer I knew from that point onwards that my day and my exams will be go ahead just fine. All my insecurites, doubts and frights would be washed away.
At the end of my journey to my high school, I reached my purpose, to see and farewell my teacher. But what I learnt was not from my purpose but from my process. Have you heard that saying that goes something like: what matters is not the end result but the process in which you achieved the end result? Well that was what I learnt that day. I was reminded back to my "roots" and how the people and surroundings have shaped me to become the individual I am today.
... Time flies by swiftly … The end of another year … The end of another chapter in my life …
Labels: church, JJ Cahill Memorial High School, Qantas, Wollongong
posted by tephiee @ 5:07 PM
4 Comments:
Did I tell you I was born in the gong?
Really? I didn't know that. I've been to Wollongong, a few years back. I remember it to be a place where peace, friendly people and relaxation can be found. Its quiet and unlike the city, is less crowded. Great holiday retreat!
Hey tephiee! im sorry to say that my re-vistit to my high school post HSC wasnt as interesting as yours! Let me begin, we (we as in me and 3 of my friends) walked to the front office and were amazed to be greated by our old Headmistress... the first thing she said was "what are you doing here?...No, really why on earth are you here?" I was shocked! how could this lady have to the nerve to question why we would come to see how our old school had changed and to catch up with our old teacher! But not in any way she ask it in such a BITCHY way. Kinda reminded me why i hated it there.
Anyway movin on, aafter the rude confrontation she said to us... "If you think you can come here and distrupt all the classes that are going on then i am sorry but i wont allow that...i am assigning you a tour so as you dont disrupt the classes and so you dont do anything stupid" AT that point I WANTED TO SLAP HER then walk out! i was with the school captain, the senior prefect and the class dux and she had the audacity to say something like that.... i didnt understand! Why would she treat us like that? like come on look at the people i was with...we werent exactly the "outcasts".
Moving on, after our "tour guide" gave up on us because we were perfectly well behaved and school had ended we went to say hello to more teachers! As i was standing there near the office there were a few teachers that just walked past and said a simple hi as if i was still a student or like they had never met me before...i dont kno if it was becasue they were jelous of me cause they are stuck there for another year while i am amounting to something or if it was becasue now that i have left high school i was able to realse how much of petefiles they really were! i could put my finger on it! But yeah basically, they were arrogent *&^$#$(*%(#$)(#(* to all of us.
Dont get me wrong there were a few ppl pleased to see us...um...the lunch lady spoke to us for a bit...oh and one of my friends was related to a teacher and she was kind enough to give us the time of day! So if i ever go bak to see my ols school its to egg it! :) not to say that i havnt already done so!
i still dont understand why they treated us like that... i went there for 6 years and contributed so much to the drama society! i performed as master of ceremonies in every school production there was when i attended the school! the school captain and the senior prefect had been there for 13years! like cmon 13 years and she didnt trust us! im still shocked...
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