Journeys of A Wandering Mind

        It’s 4 am, and nearly time for prayers.  Anyone else might have nothing in their minds at this time of the day, but I do.  I’m thinking of someone who’s five time zones away and who’s likely to be just preparing for sleep or has just fallen asleep.  Someone who turned my boring world much brighter many weeks ago.

       Saeed.  Yeah, our ages might have a gap, but,it doesn’t seem to matter that much to him.  It was quite a surprise that we shared almost the same life story.  Our birthdays are just days apart.  And after a day of talking, we just decided to take a shot at destiny. 

       Maybe he’s just about to turn in.  Maybe he’s sleeping soundly now.  Or maybe he’s staying up late watching TV.  Maybe I am just getting up for another day of work. Maybe I am just lazing around my room.  But we have the same thoughts all throughout— we love each other and miss each other.

       We have both never tried to have a long-distance relationship, but we do both try our best to keep in touch— chat, e-mail.  When my phone goes back into action, we’d call each other.  But we know one thing– love is something that needs working at.  And no matter what time of the day it is, we are working on it 24/7.

       While walking to work one day, I stopped clear in my tracks.  I saw a couple of kids who were so familiar to me in their school uniforms.  I froze, and then a thought flashed in my mind-I am no longer a teacher.

       It’s been months since I gave up teaching in the city’s best private school and months since I began work as an associate editor in the city newspaper.  It’s been months since I last held a class record, months since i woke up at past four in the morning, and months since I passed the grades for the last time.  And I am not missing one bit of it.

       A lot of my friends ask why I gave up teaching, the "noble" profession.   Ok, I recognize teaching for what it is—a noble profession devoted to the molding of young minds…and a profession that is not for everyone.  How would you perform your duties nobly if you have at least 500 kids in your class records, piles of papers to check, superiors who try to control you and hamper your freedom while expecting you to do things in between?  With a day and a half for a weekend?  I just proved to myself that I can’t.  I might have failed friends and family, but at least I told the truth.  I am not ashamed of it.

       So here I am in front of the computer, typing this.  Although the renumeration isn’t as high as the old job, I feel much better about myself.  I feel free, and I don’t have to go to work with that feeling that the pricipal will be at my back the whole day again.  I get to meet people, talk to grown ups,be where happenings are, and be online all day (hehehe).   Most of all, i don’t have to bring my work home.  I am know what to do here and I am given a free hand on how I do my work.

       So there turns a new page in my life.  I admit that it’s been hard sailing the waters,but then, the ship has to go somewhere, and I am going to find out where the currents and winds will take me.