They come and go

I take every opportunity to visit my son's school.. simply because I love to see those young, eager kids so full of life run in out of school. I see those tiny tots just entering school and those grown ups sprouting newly grown hair on their chins and I marvel at those teachers who transformed them from those 'crying kids' of Jr. KG to self confident teens of Standard X

I always wondered how those Junior KG teachers felt when they see the same 'old" kids at their 10th standard passing out function. Do they all a sense of pride and achievement or is it a feeling of “just one more batch” passing out?

Come February and we have a similar yet somewhat different happening in our department (many others too - I am sure)

An old group of residents (whose names and faces I manage to memorise in the last 6 months of their stay with us!) will leave and a new gang will come in. They come in all shapes, hues, colors and accents. Through days, weeks, months and years of their work with us, I come to know them better. Though I am often told that they are not as nice and decent as they behave in front of me, I always felt that we are very lucky to have good, often very good residents working with us. It is rare for me to have to reprimand one - to be sure some are more committed than others. Some will just walk through their three years with us whereas others will do anything for the department and show great enthusiasm and spirit. It is such several generations of young enthusiastic minds that have helped us to be a decent department. They not only help themselves but also help the progress of the department.

And when it is time to leave, some will leave without as much as saying a 'goodbye’ ; others get very emotional and breakdown - over the years I think I've seen them all and each time it is moving experience.. For after all, that is what we are here for - to help these young doctors to be good specialists. Though frankly, I believe we do not teach them all we should; but I am sure we teach them what not to do and what not to be.

And years hence, when they write or call, I have trouble remembering their names and faces - but some memories always remain.

And tomorrow a new batch will come.. and I will talk to them my now familiar “Welcome talk” …. and so a new batch is born even as I wonder how they will turn out be!

They come and go; but ever so often, they leave something behind for all of us to savour.

February 2004