Children

Small is beautiful

Hi children,

Many people talk of the importance of leading a simple life, but even without their knowledge their lives get complicated.

The world we live today is quite complex and it is in a way, hard not to get attracted to the beautiful things you see.

However you should know that many eminent people who led noble lives always saw beauty in simplicity.

Most of the religious leaders whose great doctrines we follow today led simple lives. The life stories of the Buddha and Jesus Christ are ample proof of this.

According to the Classical Greek philosopher Plato "Beauty of style and harmony and grace and good rhythm depend on simplicity." Oscar Wilde states in his novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray" "I adore simple pleasures. They are the last refuge of the complex."

Do not compare yourself with others and regret for what you do not have. Also learn to see beauty in small things. It helps you lead a successful life. Learn to be satisfied with what you have.

This, however, does not mean that you should not work hard to achieve your goals. You certainly have to work to achieve success. In school you should work harder and harder to get through your exams with flying colours.

Bye for now,

Sanju [email protected]

Annual sports meet of Kingston College International

The Kingston College International (Mutwal branch) held its annual sports meet at Sugathadasa Stadium recently presided over by the Chairman of the College, Dr T Kumaraverl. Member of Ambagamuwa Pradeshiya Sabha and an old boy of the Kingston College, Thangarajah Prasaad was the chief guest.

Here, the Chairman Dr T Kumaraverl, Principal of the College, E N Soundaram, Sports Instructor S Baptist, Principal of the Primary Section, P Thambirajah, Pre-school Principal, Poorani Sivapragasam were taken in procession accompanied by the band music.

Sunny Stories:

Beautiful hearts

Keshan loved all the books on his bookshelf. He was especially proud of his collection of the Famous Five series written by Enid Blyton. He also liked 'Heidi' and the simplified version of the 'Children of the New Forest.' But the book he loved the most was Martin Wickremasinghe's 'Madol Duwa.'

Keshan loved the stamp collection

Last Saturday, Keshan's cousin Anushka came to spend the day at Keshan's house because Anushka's mother was not well and had to be admitted to the hospital for a minor operation. Keshan was worried Anushka would meddle with his books. He remembered his mother describing Anushka as a "little bundle of mischief."

"He is younger than you so you have to be patient with him. He might also be worried about his mother, so, do your best to make him happy." Keshan's mother told him shortly before Anushka's father dropped him at their house.

Keshan showed Anushka the cupboard filled with toys. He took out his favorite toy train and racing cars.

"Let us make the railway track on the carpet and let the engine run on it," he suggested.

"Yes, Let us," said Anushka. But after about five minutes of trying to fix the parts of the railway track Anushka felt bored and started to look at the books on Keshan's bookshelf, which was in a corner of the sitting room.

"Come and have some orange juice," said Keshan's mother bringing two glasses of juice to the sitting room.

Anushka took the glass into one hand and started to turn the pages of a book with the other hand. Suddenly the glass fell from his hand onto the pages of the book. Keshan watched with horror as the orange juice spread over the pages of his favorite book.

"Mother, come soon," he shouted. "Anushka has done something awful. He has ruined my 'Madol Duwa.'"

Mother wiped the pages of the book with a piece of cloth.

"Nothing has happened to the book," she said. "We will leave the book on the window sill to dry and soon it will look as if nothing had happened to it."

"I am sorry," said Aushka in a tiny voice.

"I didn't spill the juice on purpose. The glass simply slipped out of my hand."

Keshan pretended not to hear Anushka's words. He was angry with Anushka for spilling the juice on his favourite book.

For the rest of the day he refused to play with Anushka and stayed inside his room hoping nothing would happen to his book. Even when Anushka came to say goodbye in the evening when his father came to take him home Keshan looked away telling him self he will never forgive Anushka for what he had done.

The next day was Sunday. Keshan and his parents went to visit father's brother, uncle Sisira. Keshan loved going to uncle Sisira's house because uncle Sisira had a wonderful collection of stamps. Today when he saw Keshan uncle Sisira said "Can you help me sort these stamps and put them into the album?"

Uncle Sisira left Keshan on the sitting room floor separating the foreign stamps from the local ones. Suddenly a gust of wind from the garden blew into the sitting room through the open window and scattered the stamps all over the sitting room. Keshan gasped in dismay when he saw some stamps falling into the fish tank in the middle of the sitting room.

"I am sorry," said Keshan when uncle Sisira started to rescue the stamps from the water.

"That is all right," said uncle Sisira. "It was not your fault. Don't worry about it anymore."

On his way home Keshan remembered how angry he had been with Anushka the previous day.

He wished like uncle Sisira, he too had told Anushka not to worry about spilling the juice onto the book even though it happened to be his favourite.

He told his mother how bad he felt about the way he had treated Anushka. His mother suggested they ask Anushka to come over to their house that afternoon too.

"I will not be angry with Anushka again." said Keshan.

"Yes," said mother. "When you hold a grudge against someone you are causing more harm to yourself than to the other person. Forgiveness makes your heart feel lighter and happier."

"And" added Keshan. "I am sure forgiveness makes our hearts beautiful too."

- Aditha ([email protected])

My life in prison

Through the
rusted bars,
I am looking for hours.
I have been in
many cages,
So I am waiting
for many ages.
No one opens a
single eye at me.
“It's a prisoner let
him be”,
I heard some people
say at me.
But it's not the
reality that I see.
I am so frustrated,
My feelings have
melted,
My dreams are
all faded,
I think this
prisonment has ended.
This life is full of pains,
Like an evil entered
to a fairy tale.
I am trying to escape,
but I have failed.
I am in this cage
like a dirty cotton bale,
And now I feel it is
like my own
home again.

Harshanee Perera, Grade 8 C , Royal International School, Kurunegala.

My country

My country is Sri Lanka. It is the pearl of the Indian Ocean. It is very beautiful.
There are many beautiful waterfalls and mountains in my country.
The Bambarakanda is the highest waterfall in the country.
The Piduruthalagala is the highest mountain. The Executive President of Sri Lanka is Mahinda Rajapaksa.
There are many communities living in the country. They are Sinhaliese, Tamils, Muslims and Burghers. Sri Lanka has two
botanical gardens. They are in Haggala and in Peradeniya. Let us protect our Motherland. I love my country very much.

Tamasha Nayanahari
Sirisooriya
Grade: 4-S
Buddhist Ladies College

My class teacher

Our class teacher is Ms. Lalani Kodikara. She is very kind and good. She teaches us many subjects. They are Sinhala, Mathematics, Buddhism and Environment. She comes to school early in the morning. Our teacher wears nice sarees. She has a nice handbag and an umbrella. She is the best teacher.

Chamasha Thathsarani Perera, Grade 4 S
Buddhist Ladies College, Colombo 7.

A tree fallen on to a car	A village	Our family
Pamal Chandira Vidanapathirana, Rahula College, Matara	V.Mayuran, Kingston College International, Wellawatte	Milni Methyani, Sujatha Vidyalaya, Nugegoda
Singithi Perahara	Veera Puranappu	Ben 10 watch
Vinugi Gunawardana, Sujatha Vidyalaya, Nugegoda	Dismi Damya Sonadi Alvis, Agamathi Balika Maha Vidyalaya, Kalutara	N.Sanjeeban, Kingston College International, Wellawatte