The Enchanted Hour is a program we have only just begun to enter into with the Melwani Recreation Centre in Fontainhas, Panjim. But the feelings we are left with after a session appear to hold us into the month in a powerful way.
As we sat down as a group to think about what we loved about this new program it was clear that the audience were the stars. It was a wet Monday in Panjim, and yet the room was half full and after some chatter everyone settled down to be enchanted.
We had selected The Secret Message by Mira Javarheben and illustrated by Bruce Whatley, a timeless tale based on a poem by Rumi. Most of our work was done in the selection, because Rumi beguiles and enchants in a way that few other mystic thinkers compel us to do.
However, in reflection the team felt very strongly that the audience were the enchanters and the spirited participation of each one for the shopping game, to the listening and to the conversations thereafter stayed with us. We were not surprised to find in our mail box an expressive poem from Saloni to capture our time with the adults at the Recreation Center.
ENCHANTED HOUR
Bookworm team members total six,
Our ten BNM members braved the rainy fix
Clap, snap, lap, stop actions,
Listening-doing coordinations
Name game,
Action reframe
Passing round the colourful headgear,
Memorising merchant’s list crystal clear
From mobile, cashew, chocolates, mini-car school, elephant & black pepper aroma,
To perfume, horse, handloom, watch, feni & Goan sausage panaroma
Then came Rumi’s wonderful Secret Message,
Freedom is more precious than golden bondage
Colourful dupatta wings,
Parrots’ messaging kings
Child is the Father of Man,
So was it when life began
So be it when I grow old,
Waiting for a story to unfold
Fun, drama, action, emotion,
Dancing neurons, brain activation
Cross-fertilisation,
Idea amalgamation
Lifelong osmotic learning,
Neuro-linguistic programming
Kudos to Sujata & her Bookworm team,
For rekindling reading habit, passion & dream
You can cage me, but you cannot cage my desire to be free,
You thought you could fool me, but I have flown back to my tree
Now maybe the hard way, you have learnt,
When the heart soars, bridges can be burnt
Rumi will be happy today after eight hundred years,
That someone has liberated him from those silent tears
“Somewhere beyond right & wrong, there is a garden,
I will meet you there” so rambles Rumi’s meandering wisdom
July 22, 2019
Stories bring us all together in such a spirited way, if only we trusted them more and made time for them, the world would be an enchanting place !