Totto-chan!

Though I am an addict of philosophical literature, the self-help kinds, this book Totto-chan: The little girl at the window has been an awesome refreshment to my mind. A very unconventional presentation of the feelings of a child by the authoress Tetsuko Kuroyanagi; its her childhood story. And even more I acknowledge Dorothy Britton for the excellent English translation that made this book so famous. The beauty lies in the fact that even in the times of World War II, the period in which the story is laid, there could exist a medium of education so simple and so true that it didnot take away the inherent innocence from the child. While Totto-chan plays in Tomoe (the school) and incessantly rambles with the ever attentive headmaster Mr. Kobayashi who has all the time in the world to listen to children, I somehow trace the missing parts of my own childhood. Most schools, rather all, just believe in imparting bookish knowledge, burdensome study schedules and projects. Our education system omits the sentiments and dreams of childhood. How I wish we were to develop schools which could strive to develop the qualities of mind, body and heart instead of report cards!

The perfect explanation

On one of these fine evenings, I was surfing the web for quotations. It is usually my favourite pastime... to find subtle sayings and then ponder over them.. I came across this quote which was so well put about what I often feel when I try looking into the future, " My life has no purpose, no direction, no aim, no meaning, and yet I'm happy. I can't figure it out. What am I doing right?  Charles Schultz"