'It's Yesterday Once More' - School Reunion October 2015

It’s Yesterday Once More 

The trickle on the St.Helen’s page on Facebook gave way to torrents of tech savvy ex-Helenites  interacting –planning, guiding, brain storming and the likes as we moved towards October 2015. St. Helen’s my Alma Mater was going to be 125 and her birthday plans were under way. I was one of the passive girls.  I was audience to 
the Organizing Committee’s humongous task to unite the girls across the globe . Participating alumnae went from 20 to 30 to 60 to over 170.I registered and so did Marisa. Marisa came into my life when I was in Grade 2. She was the girl who taught me friendship – she very nonchalantly talks of a time when I bit her hand in the Merry - Go -  Round - Flat (when I saw her talking to another girl)

 

with Marisa

I have evolved since those ‘biting’ days and here I was an old girl looking for reasons to go back to my school. I had many a reason not to – but I chose to go back and visit that institution that was a part of a decade of my life : As October drew near  - My mind wandered to those days when I used to be this lanky, long –haired , a little perturbed day scholar- who didn’t quite like her school! That was 25 years back. Today I am all ‘grown up’ so unlike that girl I knew in St .Helen’s.   I am sure my class mates remember me as  this confused rebel, an average student, all hands and legs and a passive girl. The next twenty five years after school has moulded and reinvented me to who I am today- with that streak of rebellion still deep set in me.

I saw myself gearing up for the reunion. There was excitement on and off Facebook. Marisa and I spent hours on the phone talking about revisiting our school days,doing what we did in the 80’s ; walking on the railway track, sharing our tiffin, eating green chillies, running into trouble , giggling during the ‘Stations of the Cross’ during Lent. One thing that was bothering me ( and I am sure it bothered many of us) was- I was no longer that pretty young thing- Today I am older and definitely wiser and fatter. Can’t do much about the wrinkles – I thought to myself, however, I can do something about my signs of prosperity around my waist and cheeks! So my outfits had to wait when Manjula  ( Vice President of the Organizing Committee and a gracious senior and friend) was announcing the dress code for the three days meet. Post my summer vacation in Europe where I dined  and did injustice to my aging digestive system and my  all receptive fatty cells – I decided to go on a health spree- to look presentable and good at the school reunion- My aim was to ensure that   my ‘ image on the  inside’ and the ‘ image on the outside’ was in congruence. No matter what the world says – I still feel happiest when I am healthiest! A couple of kilos lighter, I put together a wardrobe, shopped for gifts for my friends and for the organising committee and  I was all set to travel to the hills.

I felt like a little girl as I stepped into the school premises to collect my ‘kit’ on the 1,October 2015. It was surreal – din't know what to feel! It was nostalgia and a few very deep set regrets – the emotions were definitely new to me, but I loved it. I smiled through my tears and met the   girls- some very familiar faces and some who were almost a forgotten part of my life. Met graceful seniors , sweet contemporaries and even sweeter juniors and present Helenites. As I did everyday  all through my years in school - I went home that evening too - to my sweet  parents  who lives in a greener than green house up in St. Mary’s Hill. It was indeed Yesterday Once More.

with the present Helenites

 The almost Autumn sun shone down on the beautiful  school and her  girls – young and old, for the next two days. I was a happy face among them –trying to soak in as much as I could , lapping up all the wonderful  moments, exchanging warm hugs and those 'how can I forget you' moments,  singing  joyfully during the inaugural mass, shaking a leg at the 'Dinner and Dance', engaging in heart to heart talks with old teachers and some very familiar support staff - I was no more in awe of them. I had to remind myself that I was an old girl back in her school. I went back in time- I stepped into the parlour which was once upon a time a ‘no-go' zone. I sat there talking , laughing and posing for ‘selfies’ with likewise girls. I hugged the sisters from the convent – offered them  ice-cream during the school fete. Marisa went missing in school and I was running all over looking for her- this was my version of our good old ‘Hide and Seek’ this time around. Appreciated the present day Helenites as they mesmerized the audience  with their  Maria and the gang – how I loved it!

...and I ran!

We marched down to the Hockey Flat – I self-nominated myself for the relay. I ran that day,ran the best I could.This was something I had  just dreamt of when I was in school for reasons that can be best forgotten . I was on that ground  for the first time running for my team ! We lost but I still want to believe that I won that day. I was choking when I spoke to Rahul – my school was still helping me grow and chase my dreams.

class of 1989 at the Reunion

After a last lunch in school –that was more about interaction with new friends and beautiful people - it was time  for  yet another goodbye. I walked down the slope with Marisa - all the way down to St. Joseph’s and beyond- into town. I was carrying within me a grateful heart that I allowed myself this opportunity  to revisit my past and to look at it with a grown - up heart.  As I walked down that slope of green and concrete,  I felt a sense of belonging- took me so  many years but here I was allowing myself that home-coming . Happy  to be back in school and happier still that St. Helen’s happened to me.

                                                                                                         

Claudia Joshi

Class of 1989