The annual trip down memory lane

Whether you call it a get-together, reunion, friends meet or alma mater beckons, all of us just make a die-hard attempt to preserve all the amazing memories that happened in the past. Why they are so important? Because the subconscious mind wants to wake up the child within. Our get together is no different from others, as the day arrives and we friends meet, there appear innumerable hugs, emotional overflows, name callings, teasing, leg-pulling and above all uncountable love.

Simultaneously there are few who abstain, some desist and for reasons unknown few of them refrain too with excuses like preoccupations, a family outing pre-scheduled, leaves are exhausted and the obvious-in the name of the BOSS. Contrary to that, few reschedule their ongoing programmes, cancel meetings just for those few hours of memories, because the subdued child suddenly awakens and becomes ecstatic when old friends are met, time stops at these instants.

We friends have a fixed date, every year the fourth Sunday of December irrespective of it's ultimate or penultimate, is our tryst. And it's special because of our teachers, who are specially invited to be our guests of honour. The septuagenarians and octogenarians give us their precious time, bless us with their words of wisdom. One of our Sir became overwhelmed and told "More than yours, it's our reunion, you all have teleported our staff room from the past.Particularly for your batch, we keep this day free. You all are exceptional."

Truly, their blessings are the antidote to our stressed life, probably it's their benediction that we are able to meet every year and of course in these years our lives have been improved. Nowadays, whenever we visit our hometown and come across our Sirs, spontaneously it comes out from them, "So, you're coming this December?" This year twenty-two teachers joined us, we pray for their good health and wish to receive their blessings for years coming.

Hoping it is au revoir, we bid adieu our teachers and get corralled. A lot of talks, cracking of jokes, singing karaoke songs and dancing to the tunes fill the milieu.As it gets dark, we realize a flight has to be checked-in at 9 p.m., a train scheduled to be boarded in two hours and the chauffeur is waiting in the cab since morning.

The hangover continues for a few days, the mystic and fragrance lingers in the minds and count down begins for the next year. For we generation-x, meeting old friends became more of necessity and less of indulgence.