As I noticed this ball in the play kit which my colleagues were using yesterday, I recalled the habit a friend of ours in a Zurich school, a teacher for the school beginners, practised. She would on the first day of the school give every child a small soft ball like this, which feels good in the hand! Anna and I have known her for 25 years.
Her idea was that children, when leaving the home for the first time to come to a school for half a day, ought to have a playful introduction to the school. She remembered some children who played with the ball through the years and kept it as souvenir after that.
I remembered how that friend of ours did this year after year to give a cordial welcome to children at joining school!
I kept pondering over this when I noticed this ball yesterday. It looked almost similar in look except for its colour.
What symbolised to me about this ball!
Ball comes alive only when there is a group or at least one another child to pay with. Ball is a symbol of togetherness and friendship. How wisely our teacher friend chose a gift which affirmed friendship as the ambience of school life!
I have sometimes wondered whether friendship is less common than all of us desire! I was challenged, while watching this ball being used yesterday, about my commitment to friendship I wonder whether I take less initiative to foster friendship unlike in the past.
Dr V.I.Mathen a former director of the Christian medical college, Vellore, at whose initiative ASHIRVAD was invited to partner with CMC to start the Developmental Paediatrics Unit at CMC, telephoned me this morning. He is ahead of me in age, but keeps physically and mentally young. He called to say that he was having a round of conversations with some friends during this week! Our contact with each other began in 1987. He remembered that first occasion even today.
Yes, friendship is the normal humans response to each other! It needs reinforcement and protection.
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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