Marks

The wooden table top was covered in ink. Words called out to her, begging to be noticed. In the final moments of the exam hour, with the idle silence egging her on, she obliged.

There had been people here, before her. People who had left something behind.

Letters strewn across. Marks.

There was something about those careless scribblings that amused her. There were song lyrics, there were names, there were science and math formulas.

She imagined people sitting around in groups, surrounded by moments transforming into memories. Some bitter, some sweet. She pictured students, fingers curling in frustration, desperate to scrape through the infinite list of examinations and tests. She saw them smile with unspoken gratitude for the inked pointers. She saw the jubilant faces, glowing with the triumph of having declared the slogan of their life to the rest of the world, slogans etched in wood. She smiled as she read the names, together in print. How many of those names still remained together, she'd never find out. How many of those bonds had slowly faded away, like these words soon would, she'd never know.

The crude drawings, the random array of letters, to someone somewhere, held meanings. And now, she felt connected to all those unknown people, in one of the most subtle manifestations of the word.

As the moments stretched before her, she felt herself becoming a part of it all, a part of the grand scheme of things.
She was not the first one here, nor will she be the last. But nonetheless, she still had a part to play. She still had a mark to leave.

On the wooden table.

On the only Earth.

She bent down and left her mark.

"I was here", she wrote.

Change

With my 9^th standard classes coming to an end and exams blocking my entry into an inviting vacation, everything seems to fall into melancholy. As yet another year draws to a finish, am nervous. Yes, nervous! I find myself drifting into flashbacks of yester-years. With a new “teen” next to my age, I find myself not as that innocent kid, but a typical teenager. Even though I realize that these transformations are inevitable and for good, somewhere deep inside my mind I still crave to be that little girl – a girl who was oblivious to all negatives of this world. Her only problems were lost color pencils or a glass of milk that she had to drink. She dreamt only about fairies and chocolates. Her only fears were monsters, monsters that were a proof of her mother’s good imagination skills.

I see my senior 10^th graders leave with farewells and it dawns on me that it’s my turn next year. 2010-11 academic year passes by, leaving a big mark in my life. The year gave me a ton of memories that’ll always remain in my heart. School became enjoyable with lots of friends. Classes got interesting and teachers took on a motherly attitude. It was the year that gifted me a best friend forever and taught me new lessons of life. Yet, it took away a lively soul from our school – Sonima who died in a bus accident.

I changed into a more responsible individual who was aware of that future beholds. I know I’ll make it, but the element of nervousness and anxiety refuses to leave my mind. Still, am ready for whatever the coming days toss into my track. The nervousness or the transformation cannot keep me from widening my horizons. My shoulders are strong enough to hold the responsibilities. With my head held high, I’ll overcome the barriers, wave off the discouragements and stick to the path I choose. Yes, I’ll use the change for good!