I don’t know what it is about this song, but it makes me cry.
Perhaps it’s taking me back to my school days – but which school, for heaven’s sake; I went to 9 of them! I don’t remember having an awfully good time at any in particular either, because I never stayed long enough. Ah well, maybe it isn’t that. Maybe I really loved my childhood, only I don’t know it.
Or maybe this song is taking me back to my years in college. Wonderful friends and classmates, amazingly interesting subject to study; psychology. And the most incredible teachers. If there are any teachers I would want to thank, it’s those that taught me at LSR.
When I first joined LSR, it was to study psychology and absolutely nothing else. But no one was letting me! Owing to my incorrectable weak eyesight, they just didn’t really want me in the psych department. Why didn’t I just take History? Or Philosophy? Or English? Anything! Problem is I really didn’t want anything else. I firmly believed I was a “natural” psychologist and that it was my calling in life and that was that.
I kept going back to the psychology lab and begging them to let me in, but they wouldn’t. To prove to me that I would have a really difficult time of it, I was asked to try a few psychology experiments; something that made you stare a long time at something and made your eyes water. I don’t understand why I would have a particularly tough time with that, but I was adequately spooked. Almost giving up, I listened to my father when he said “Go back and tell them there are blind surgeons in this world”. I don’t know where I got the courage to say that, but I held my chin up and said it.
Somewhere along the line, the teachers at the psychology department got together and decided they hadn’t really seen that degree of interest and passion in a long time. What were they doing keeping me out? And the next thing I knew – I was in!
And I did have no end of trouble. I couldn’t see the blackboard, I couldn’t see my stopwatch, I sometimes even couldn’t see the class I had to sit in! Oh yes, I did once go in and sit in the wrong class. That was amusing. But that’s another story. I had a dreadful time making sense of physiology and statistics all over the board, but hey, I loved every minute of it. You see, from the day I joined their department, those teachers were on my side. They didn’t single me out for extra help; they didn’t call out stuff to me from the board, they didn’t let me take longer at things.
They just enveloped me with a wonderful unconditional warmth. A soothing balm of warmth that stays with me right into today.
That acceptance made everything safe and okay. I didn’t have to kill myself proving anything. I didn’t have to keep worrying about doing better than everyone else. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was that I could learn a subject I loved – with the nicest people.
And yes, that’s why this song makes me cry.
Or maybe it’s just a pretty song…
The time has come,
For closing books and long last looks must end,
And as I leave,
I know that I am leaving my best friend,
A friend who taught me right from wrong,
And weak from strong,
That’s a lot to learn,
What, what can I give you in return?
Thank you for sharing your memories, and how this song has touched you. You are not alone! I remember what in impact the lyrics, the melody, and the movie had on me. I think that we all look back on our school days nostalgically. There is no other time like it in our lives. Beautifully written!
I’ve seen this movie at least 6 or 7 times and i could see it again and again. Yes the song makes me cry too, every time. I was lucky to have been in one school for a longer time and even luckier to have a wonderful teacher whom we unfortunately lost touch with and i’ve been looking for her ever since. I think this is a must see for every individual.
Oh Mala I’m glad you pursued your dreams!! I had no idea you have a psychology education. that’s so great for many professions!
And I’m glad you had wonderful teachers.
I must say regarding high school – for years I wanted to get out of it. Felt like I could finally breathe after having left. Partly due to wicked teachers, partly due to dominant girl cliques.. I just could not fit in. But I hate to be leaving university soon. Stayed as long as I could and feel too old for it right now (doing my doctorate). It s not the same anyway, since most of my friends have left it already.
Time to move on, I guess, and I will so miss it!
I need to check out this movie.
Mala,now you are making me cry! beautifully written, absolutely true – i was in that class with you and believe me, we could all feel your intensity and passion for psychology. I think you made us all better students! And our teachers – they were all a great team, exactly as you remember them. They encouraged all of us equally, were never unfair or demanding or harsh. a perfect song remembered in a perfect blog for a great team of under appreciated teachers.
Yeah it’s a gr8 reason to do anything – a “subject u love – with the nicest people”
I remember college when our fate wasn’t tied to churning out a 100% accurate output on anything – we could forget lines in a college play, mess up a song on stage, go a little late, miss a few classes, flunk an exam (and take it again next year) …
… we just sprawled on the college lawn n learned at our own pace …
Thanks for sharing the thought
)
Enjoyed this post like so many others in the past. It was brave and decisive of you to take the psychology route — English you’ve excelled at anyway and probably know enough of History to get by in life so Psychology was certainly the best choice. I enjoy listening to this song because it takes me back to my early courtship days with Kishore — that’s when I saw the movie for the first time! I thought Sidney Poitier was fantastic as a teacher and actor for the role.
The new interface has nice cooling colours to offset the May heat of Gurgaon.
Thank you, Jyoti, Psychology in that particular college was really amazing.
I think I must see To Sir, With Love again… it’s been many decades!