Same warmth, Different routes!

Today, in neonatal resuscitation trolley at labour room were two babies, kept for warmth to prevent hypothermia. They were sharing the same warmth, kicking at each other and were having a good time. They belonged to the two mothers who just delivered them in adjacent beds, who are completely unknown to each other. The two babies, who were born on the same day, perhaps a few minutes apart , are having a good time. I was wondering around, (as usual) and the view of the two neonates just made me think “Will they ever meet again in life? And if they did, will they ever remember that they shared the same warmth on the day they were born ? What would the “time” would have done for their lives by the time they meet? “.This thought reminded me of my own experience.

As for the Free education system in the country, Grade 5 scholarship was (rather still is) an important obstacle for us who studied at the peripheries. We had after school classes; done by our class teacher, 4 days per week, (unlike today, it was free of charge, a social service of the class teacher ; who is the mastermind which guided our lives for our academic achievements up to date ). There were many friends, whom we used to play cricket until class starts and one of them , for the purpose of this story will be Nimal. It was a wonderful childhood we had though scholarship was a competitive exam. We passed the exams, Me, Nimal and many more included. Well by tradition, at my school, the students who passed the scholarship exam used to give a treat for the staff of the school ; one reason for this being that most who would pass will go for so called better schools around and else where. One of the passed students, will have to deliver the welcome speech for the teachers , and the class teacher offered me the opportunity, as I was the highest scorer, but She told me that, “ if you can’t just let me know, because Nimal would even do a better speech than you, but this is offered to you as you are the highest scorer “ . Well as a kid, I did not want to miss opportunities ; something which is practiced still I suppose. So the speech was delivered, within a few days I left the School and travelled Kandy for better education. I did not meet Nimal since then till date.

Let’s say Sunil; was another student among those who passed the exam with me. He decided to stay at the same school. Up on subsequent visits for my home place I would have met him once or twice, chatted sometimes. Last time when I met him before the story which I am about to describe, he was a Security Officer. But it was last year(2014), as a 3^rd year medical student, when I was walking around, some minor staff person called me. I was not sure what the message the minor staff member wanted to deliver to a medical student, and up on turning I met Sunil, after many years, being a minor staff member : partly explained by the fact one of the previous minister of Health ( Before November 2014) was from the peripheral area where I studied). He was busy carrying some samples, so we only could have a little chat. It was not the Grade 5 discussion we had. Perhaps because he was busy for his work and I was running the marathon from hostel to ward to be at the ward a second before the consultant comes. Subsequently, I met Sunil a few times around the hospital. We had short chats here and there, what the duties are, how the staying conditions , the wards they work, the salaries etc etc etc.. Still I meet him once in a while and each time – both of us running in different directions , in a hurry, just like after scholarship exam.

Last April, I visited my home place for the new year, and I was not feeling quite well. I visited a doctor there and he prescribed some medicine ;( all of which I would have prescribed by myself and so is my mother or any one who had a fever and cough before) I went to the counter and gave the prescription. The lady inside was staring at me; which is a rare occurrence, and after sometime she asked if I was Leonard. Well I was a bit surprised, but given the fact it was my home place I though she would have been someone who would have known me. But she introduced her as; Let’s say Nayanaa ( The Grade 2 Sinhala book),who was another classmate of the Grade 5 class, And I was much surprised and happy to meet her after a long period.  Like Sunil, She is also in the field of medicine, which I would be attached to in the due time, Hopefully.

Well this is the fate of lives the time has taken us over the time. You would have waited to see what happened to Nimal at the beginning. But I don’t really know. Hope he is having a great and a enjoyable life. Sunil is in the same hospital I am training, but he is serving the people & earning and I am studying. Nayanaa, as I heard has married recently, and she is also in the medical profession. There were many who were in the class with me. I do not know that happened to most. I remember one friend was killed by LTTE at a Paddy field during war times. All of us shared the same warmth of the Grade 5 class, had the same freedom and happiness at that time. Just like the two babies in the labour room now. But now we do not know what happed to most of our friends. But, once in a while we might meet some of those classmate. But when we do meet ; our lives are never the same again – THE TIME will tear us a long distance part.

So dear babies , you might probably meet again ; but you will never recall that you shared the same warmth on the day you were born and even if by accident you recall that you were together on your birth day, time will take you a long distance apart.