Strength TogetHER 18 - Session 6

22nd January 2022.

Lokopakar is a youth-based organization currently running four projects among which Strength togetHER is one of its projects where a group of girls from different backgrounds meet and share their stories, insecurities, ideas, and perspective and help each other grow. We invite moderators in multiple sessions who listen, appreciate, and guide the participants. 

With the ongoing increase of COVID 19 infections, we decided to conduct online sessions for Jyotidaya Cooperative Secondary School on the topic, “Sharing my funny and sad moments”. Our moderator for the day was Ms. Dolma Lama, who is a teacher and media coordinator at Brihaspati Vidyasadan. She is also a secretary of the Sports and Environment Commission of the Nepal Olympic Committee. 

Our first participant started by sharing her sad moment, which was when her aunt got married. Among all the aunties she has, she shared that aunty was her favorite, she had never seen her cry before. So, on her wedding day when her aunty cried along with her family and other relatives, she felt extremely sad. 

She remembers her favorite happy moment was on her birthday when her brother was being too playful and teasing her. And, she locked him up inside a box. 

Our other participant shared that she was sad when some of her relatives commented that she would no longer be loved and adored by her parents with a baby brother added to the family. Our moderator told her that, being a parent, she knows that a parent's love doesn’t get divided or separated like that. So, she should not be worried about such things. 

My aunt broke her hand right before her wedding day, i.e. on the day of her Mehendi. She couldn’t put Mehendi (Henna) on her hands but watched others put Mehendi on theirs. This is a funny moment for me because the event was for her but she couldn’t put on the Mehendi. 

Our other participant shares that she doesn’t have any specific sad moments but she gets sad when she forgets to do her homework sometimes and remembers only after reaching school. She shares her funny moment when she shared a study room with her brother. He was reciting the lessons loudly, she suggested he read by heart and later heard her brother reciting, “by heart” loudly instead of actually studying by heart. 

My mom made a really funny face seeing my sister wear a hat during our gufa ceremony. I remember her face and find it funny even now. She shares her funny moment when she sent her sister to the shop, and was waiting behind the door to scare her when she returned. When she did so, her sister screamed and shouted, “Ghost”. It was my funniest moment, shared our other participant. 

Our other participant shared her funny moment was when she went to a concert with her family and cousins during Indra Jatra when she felt sleepy and wanted to return home. Her cousin was upset as they couldn’t enjoy the rest of the concert. Her cousin was scolding her when her uncle made a joke and stopped the argument in a rather funny manner. And, she recalls being sad when her family went on a picnic leaving her and her sister at home. My best friend and I went to a park nearby and when we were going downhill, my friend slipped on a rock and fell down. It was a really funny moment, shared our other participant. 

Our other participant shared a moment that she tells is both sad and funny at the same time. It was when she wore a new pair of pants to go put tika at a relatives’ house during Dashain. She reached the house and when sat down to put tika, a relative pointed out that her pants were torn. She says that it was embarrassing and funny at the same time. 

Our moderator, Mrs. Dolma Lama, then proceeded to share her funny moment. She shared that she was outgoing and loved sports when she was young. She had participated in a football tournament and scored a goal, everyone cheered and they got a point as well until one of the spectators pointed out that it was the shoe that had gotten on the goal post and not the ball. The ball was still on the ground. It was one of the funniest things that happened to her, and she is still reminded of that when she looks at her students playing football. 

One of the participants asked Mrs. Dolma what do you do when you’re sad? To which she answered that sadness is an emotion and it’s only natural for everyone to feel it. It’s okay to be sad, but do not dwell on it for a long time. She diverts her mind to happy things and it works perfectly for her. And, suggested that everyone try to do the same thing as well. 

There was also another question, How to look at the positive sides when one is sad? Mrs. Dolma answered it perfectly saying that, like every coin has two sides, being sad also has two. We should accept it, and let go of it gracefully. 

This was one of the sessions where we laugh our hearts out with stories we heard. It surely brought us together and more comfortable with us. We had a good time together as we bidded goodbye for today’s session with a group photo of us.