Well passed the mark of half a century, I am now over sixty-five years of age in my season of autumn among with the trodden lifeless fallen dry brown leaves blowing here, there and everywhere that were in bountiful beautiful different shades of green. The leaves were once strong and healthy latching onto branches withstanding the hurling winds come what may whichever direction it blows. I am now at a crossroad stance, but thankful still not yet six feet down under or at that place where the chimney or smoke stack never stop bellowing leaving minute remains of human dust around the scene voicing out to everyone who would listen that life had gone one round circle, once there was breathing existence, now only eternal death, the very end and no more. With one more step in that direction while waiting for the calling of final withering winter, it is the best time to reflect how one have walked the life’s rocky pathways with shoes and without, stumbling with cuts and bruises forcing oneself to march on but sometime encountering straight roads and avenues, too few to mention at that.
While I idly sat myself on the
sofa in the living room of our small apartment in East Coast, Singapore, at
times gazing out of the twenty-first floor panorama windows without any
specific purpose or reason, my mind would wonder on things, events and at times
day dreaming on once personal experiences or simply wishful thinking on what I
perceive to be in order rearranging situations with new scripts for a non-event
movie. Never really appreciating the view outside or the weather, funny how
chapter of events can flip through within split second in the annals of my
aging mind, one might even term it as mind games I believe. With the television
switched on to break the monotonous feeling of emptiness while the BBC
newscasters would elaborate on the breaking news of the day in all earnest, I
shifted my attention to the Facebook write-ups on my internet laptop. Some were
news, while others were funny and educational and a few were down right ugly
and rude at times, all in all in the sprit and biography of entertainment I
suppose.
As I surf the Internet with my
weathered fingers, I would somehow without much of a thought latch on to one of
my favorite website, that being MEHSA. This is so as I can reminisce those
bygone school days in the wealth of photographs chest and read about my old
school plus buddies and recall those happy days once more again. Somehow over
half a century melted in a flash and nice to be at that age again where the
only worry was keeping up the studies and playing with my friends and maybe
also be a pest to the girls. My 4B class photograph in 1960 showed we were just
a shade under fifty pupils in total and one could identify the innocence that
shined through and through, those were the carefree days. I took solace in
knowing most of us made the grade. The studious guys mostly became medical
doctors abroad and at home. Some excelled in businesses while others did well
in our civil services, with a few dedicated themselves in the world of
academia. Those who ventured into faraway lands also were successful in their
own rights, now with grown up children and a few are even grandparents with a
string of grand children. A reunion of all together again is most unlikely as
some are scattered and way off in the States, Canada, British Isle, Australia
and the likes of Hong Kong etc. with their own families and roots established
there now. I still do keep my lines open with the friends that I can recall and
glad to say that they all are fine except graying like myself however a few are
still strong and active I’m pleased to notice. I’m sure my classmates Dr. Kyaw
Thin (Leo Tan) and U Harn Yawnghwe (Pyee Pyee Thike) would agree that not only
are we the crème de crème of Burma, but also arguably the pedigree of achievers
in our own chosen fields, also turning out Ms. Aung San Su Kyi, the only Noble
Laureate from our country till date. Quite an achievement don’t you think?
There is no denying that our
school MEHS played a major role in shaping us up preparing for later stance in
life, what a foresight, yes? Then, we did not think much about it, but we all
shined through to be sure. The credit without a shadow of a doubt falls on the
Principal Mrs. Logie (diseased) and her dedicated team of teachers who not only
taught us the academia subjects but also the fundamentals how to have scruples
and defining values in our lives. After all, the school motto was ‘ Not for
school but life we do learn’ and the lamp still burns bright in all our hearts
till this very day. Judging from
the recent chain of events I am really feeling gratified in my heart that at
least our sons, daughters and grand children now has a chance of living in a
democratic country once again and looking forward to co-exist in a peaceful and
tranquil nation that we missed and hungered since 1962.
According to records, our school
was founded in 1882 and the building as we know it was constructed in 1952 and
the first stone was laid by our first President of Burma, His Excellency Sao
Shwe Thike in the same year on February 20th. However, the school
may be gone as we know it but today, because of our learned peers, we can dare
dream of a long lasting peace in an establishment of a democratic nation once
again, soon I hope.
