Life Influencers

Childhood is bejeweled with beautiful, colorful memories of the many influencers who shaped my thinking, albeit with many digressions. Like all kids, I too was no exception, in changing my mind, all too frequently, jumping from one goal to another. In my meandering mind, what stands out, was my steadfast decision to follow her calling. Never mind that it got eclipsed soon, by another calling!

She was of Indo-Irish parentage, born and brought up in Kolkata, a Roman Catholic by faith, and joined the Loreto Convent as Sister Stella, soon after graduation. My first encounter with her was while she was posted as a teacher in my school in Loreto Convent Asansol. A person exuding warmth, a big heart, yet exercised disciplinary action against any student flouting Convent rules.

Those days, discipline had a different connotation altogether. Caught reading any adult book in school premises invited serious trouble. And her eagle eyes never missed out anything, however sneakily books were smuggled into the school. And one classmate was caught red handed reading Rebecca by Dapne du Maurier, placed inside her History book. So engrossed she was in turning the pages of the romantic novel, she missed seeing her towering presence, standing right behind her. Phew! Brought to book in public, during Assembly in the presence of the entire school, was considered the worst kind of punishment. Next day it was the topic of discussion, and a warning bell for others. Of course it didn't end there. A letter was sent off to the parents as well, and the student denied borrowing rights of books from the school library, for a specified period. For most of us, it meant an important lifeline being unplugged from the monitor. At 12 the mind is like a sponge, absorbing every story, every author, prescribed or unprescribed. Romance novels at that age was a big NO...NO! It was another story that we all read Mills and Boons at home, sourced from other libraries. But that was unknown to Sister Stella.

Every year the school had a four day retreat for primarily Catholic students, to which Non-Catholics were free to attend if they evinced interest. However, it was mandatory for days scholars attending this retreat, to check in as boarders, as sessions extended beyond school hours. A written consent from parents on non-Christians was obligatory. These four days, meant not attending the regular classes. Instead students listened to religious preaching, motivational talks, and spent time reading the Holy Bible. Mostly interactive sessions, but that's where all talking ended. Students were committed not to interact with each other during the rest of the time. For others, normal school routine continued.

Coming from a Bengali Brahmin Hindu family, I had apprehensions whether my parents would agree to my attending a Catholic retreat. They had no objections whatsoever, believing that all religions lead to the same path. So there I was, full of enthusiasm, packing my bags, to leave home for four days, to reside in the school boarding house.

Needless to mention, each and every session left a deep impact on my mind. Every visit to the school Chapel, sitting on the wooden pews praying, turning the rosary beads, made me make up my mind, that my calling was to follow the path Sister Stella has chosen. She was the inspiration, the guiding light in my life at the age of twelve. When I announced my intentions to Mom and Dad, they didn't show any surprise. Nor did they make any comment. Just smiled..

which I construed as acceptance. How good it felt! And that phase lasted for a good two years, envisaging myself in a Nun's habit and gown, walking the school corridors, as future Sister Stella.

That was pre-puberty. Post puberty was a different story altogether. Like a basket ball, kept bouncing from becoming a doctor, to a Geologist, to an Air Hostess....changing like the sky changes colours!!

However Sister Stella, God rest her soul in peace, kept in touch with me, right till the end of her time on earth. As I moved from school to College, coincidentally she too got transferred to Loreto College, from where I graduated. Seems now like it was all preordained.

When I look back, and try to figure out what role she played in my life...the picture that appears is that of a surrogate mother...an influencer. And though I ended up working in the Corporate Sector, getting married, becoming a mother, and now a grandmother, Sister Stella still remains my first life influencer.

But what remained consistent throughout my life, was to be a flourishing writer. That got pushed to the back burner, caught up with a job, raising kids and seeing them reach each milestone in their lives. Now post retirement, passion for writing has overtaken all else, so I keep writing my memoirs, poems, travel diaries, most of which goes unread. Never mind...it gives me the greatest satisfaction to share my writings, read or unread!