Page 44 - Man Ki Baat Nov 2024 (English)
P. 44

some time and forget. But if you
                                          create sweet memories, they
                                          will be there with you forever. So
                                          use this space to create those
                                          moments that you will cherish
                                          even after you grow up.”
                                              The summer was setting in,
                                          and reluctantly, children started
                                          to use the library to escape the
                                          heat. As the temperature soared,
                                          more children were lured to use
                                          these facilities. The writing desk,
                                          creative reading and other
                                          facilities were all being used.
                                              The library was always full
                                          of children and at the end of
                                          summer, I saw that new books
                                          had  become  old, the writing
                                          desk was more occupied and
                                          activity books were in great
                                          demand.
                                              I  revisited  during  early
                                          monsoon, and some children
                                          came up and told me, “Amma,
                                          please don’t close the library.
                                          We love it. Even after school
                                          hours we want to come. Get us
                                          more books. In three months, we
                                          have learnt a lot.”
                                              I was pleasantly surprised
                                          when these youngsters gifted
                                          me a pile of storybooks. One
                                          said, ‘Even  I  want  to  be an
                                          author’, the other said, ‘I want to
                                          join the marine service’. Some
                                          also said that they wanted to
                                          be a soldier, and some wanted

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