Twenty One

Do you remember those boxed  televisions? And do you remember the ugly black box underneath which was called a VCR? Where you would press a “rewind” button and characters on the tube would start backward movements in a jerky, hip shaking manner with horizontal grey strings going down the screen with a strange urgency. I had a similar experience when I entered 55 A Main Gulberg after 21 years. Rewind mode, zapped back, faces flashback, teachers swim affront, tears roll back and laughters pour in. Lahore Grammar School became alive for me again.
 
My brain or heart (not sure where my memories are stashed away) which stored pieces of that life started jigsawing together. All the floating pieces of memories became one again. The vividness and clarity was unmatched. The white uniforms, the blue checkered sashes, the white painted gate, the bold school emblem sprang up with a strange urgency.
 
The garden, the building, the net ball field, the tuck shop, the classrooms, the teachers all combined together to make us, us ! All of us connected with the school lifeline – a lifeline that gave us poor diagrams in biology and poorer translations in urdu, tears over failing English test results and chemistry experiments going bust. A lifeline that gave us our identity, confidence, conviction, mettle and above all unmatched relationships in the form of ever lasting friendships.
 
As LGS, 55 A Main more popularly known as the Kabana Branch turned 35 I happened to briefly attend the reunion which brought to me ask all my classmates to write what Grammar gave them. The challenge was to limit it to 21 words marking the 21 years since we all went “our own way”. Some adhered and some didn’t (but then who cares) , here is what they had to say – unedited and truly from the heart
 
Rabiya Mumtaz
 
Grammar school gave me the crux of who I am today - myself and some life long friendships. Carefree memories. My childhood.
 
Sarah Khan
 
ji teacher saadia:
because of grammar school I made friends who i can talk and relate to at any age and even after we are out of touch for long periods of time.
 
Momina Randhawa
 
Lahore Grammar School made me believe, I could be anything I wanted to be. Whether I chose to crawl or fly was up to me. I chose to fly.
 
Rizma Jalees
 
Lgs gave me a vision, taught me how to dream, to believe in myself and aim for the stars yet enjoy every bit of the journey and that's exactly what I have done and feel   blessed, not to forget the amazing friendships I cherish to this day!
 
Sabina Lali
 
Lahore Grammar School educated me and the tools weren't merely books. Friends, teachers, experiences gave me a sense of self I carry within me today.
 
Seyham Vahidy
 
Initially when I shifted from khi to lhr I wasn’t very keen on attending Lahore grammar school coming from st Josephs convent I thought I would not like it very much but I was wrong!  Being a small school it turned out I knew many of the girls as they were family friends or close acquaintances it felt like home the staff and teachers also treated us like they were our guardians and then most importantly I made my friends of my lifetime here the experiences we shared on and off campus are the best memories of my time and I feel that Lahore grammar school gave us that the environment created by the school and staff taught us so much academically and socially thank you Lahore grammar school for making me a part of your history
 
Fatima Tariq
 
Will send mine tonight. Even though I missed the reunion and that school photograph of me sucked. BIG time.
 
Fizzah Shanawaz
 
Because of grammar school I am the person I am. I think I can relate to all sorts of people, and am tolerant of their differences. Grammar school taught me that.
 
Amna Ahmed
 
Feel like I'm back to being a student! Itni demands
 
Mahvish Aman
 
And remember, no matter where you go, there you are.”
No matter where life takes me, I am still the school girl defined by LGS.
 
Mariam Aftab
 
My school gave me the power to be honest to myself. It taught me how to accept hatred, intolerance and criticism. Most importantly it taught me how to love and be loved.
 
Aeyesha Gulzar
 
LGS: Instilled in me a sense of wonder and discovery; the ability to question and find answers and the confidence and humility to attend to presidents, peasants and peers, alike.
 
 
Sadia Salim
 
…It has been more than 20 years since I parted ways with LGS, but it is a part of me that demarcates every step I take in life. The education, qualities and values that I picked over the years, made me who I am today! Thank you LGS…..

Mosho
 
Joined Grammar School later in my school years but it gave me my personality, strength, talents, and confidence. But all this is nothing in front of the most important treasure that it gave me, my friends
 
Sarah Leghari
 
21 years down, I stand proud of my grammarian identity, which played a major role in my career success and at the same time feel lucky to get my therapeutic highs with my grammarian friends. When I first walked in Grammar School, Saadia  Ahsan gave me the comforts of settling in and a friendship of a lifetime which soon encompassed sheezu, jeya and other very dear friends.
With the incredible and beautiful memories of laughter, tears, pranks, learning, some wonderful mentors, LGS brings an intense, unforgettable pain....for it was here I met my most precious and  loving friend, sheezu and now I have lost her.... You'll always be within our hearts, Untill we meet again.
 
Saadia I treasure u as my precious one whose here... May u live a long healthy life.
 
And last but not the least as our very very dear Sheeza put it back in 1992 “ No great genius is without an admixture of madness”
 
Here is to all the madness in all of us! LGS Zindabad!