Dear Parents,
Today, I want to share the story of a student which is very difficult to probably read about.
He is one of our alumni now, and during the Covid years, he lost one parent. Soon after, his other parent chose to move on and build a new family, leaving him to be raised by his old and ailing grandparents.
It was a difficult story to hear, and an even harder reality for a teenager to live through.
Yet, one of the things I have seen in children, time and again, is how adversity can sometimes reveal a strength they did not know they possessed. Not immediately, and certainly not without pain. But slowly, they can become stronger, wiser and deeply grateful for the people and moments that hold them through the difficult seasons.
There were low grades, dark days and moments when life simply felt too heavy. And yet, I watched this young boy grow into a young man well before his time.
We did not do anything extraordinary. We simply chose to show up.everything.
Sometimes it was bringing him a dabba and slipping in a few extra savouries. Sometimes it was dropping him home after a school event because his grandparents were too old to come and pick him up. Sometimes it was simply sitting with him, helping him see himself differently and reminding him that his circumstances did not define who he could become. Sometimes it was just letting him cry in my cabin.
Over the years, our families became connected. I met his extended family, and he met mine. I still remember inviting him home for a Diwali lunch. He arrived impeccably dressed, enjoyed himself with my children and cousins, and carried himself with such warmth and grace that my family still remembers him fondly.
Today, I share this very personal story because I want us to think about what courage really looks like in a child.
Courage is not having control over everything that happens to you. It is not pretending that difficult things do not hurt. Sometimes, courage is simply gathering yourself and taking the next step when life has given you very little to work with.
This student will always remain someone I want to stay connected with, no matter where life takes him. He showed me what courage in action can look like.
And perhaps, more importantly, he reaffirmed something I deeply believe in: children need spaces where they can be seen, accepted and held without judgement.
Because sometimes, all a child needs is for someone to show up, believe in them and remind them that there is more to their story than what has happened to them.
That is the kind of world I hope we continue to create for our children.
A world where courage can bloom 🌼
