When I am 30 years old...

Many wonder what they’ll be like or they’ll be doing, when they are much older. I too thought about it. When I reach 30 years of age I will be very much older than I am today, naturally.

Then I will remember my younger days and what I did during my school days. I’ll be sad because I’d feel really old at that time. Remembering my school days will bring me a great deal of pleasure. I’ll probably have a job by this time.

I may even be a doctor because from the time I was very small I have dreamt of becoming a doctor who would be very useful to society. I would look after patients who are sick.

When I was 10 years old, I thought I would start a nursery, when I am older. So, when I m 30 years old, I could teach small children. I’d teach kids in the morning, and practise as a doctor by night in my own dispensary or at a hospital.

I’d earn more money by doing two jobs which would make me rich.Teaching kids would bring me great joy. And it would also be a good experience.

I would hold a record because I’ll be looking after both patients and kids at the same time. People will refer to me as a ‘Strong Lady’.

When I’m 30 years old I will help a lot of people because I like helping others. It will bring me great pleasure.

Helping others makes us healthy and wealthy people. Even if I die after I am 30 years old, I’d be happy because I would have achieved a lot by that time.

M. Virgin Fatima Perera, Grade 10, St. Bridget’s Convent, Colombo 7.

Beautiful Mother Lanka

Sri Lanka is a beautiful country with picturesque mountains, waterfalls, rivers and forests. There are also very beautiful sandy beaches in many parts of the country. Geographical occurrences have enhanced the beauty of the country with bays, capes and lagoons, along the coastal belt.

The Hikkaduwa coral gardens, Arugam Bay and Nilaweli beaches are some of the places that have attracted foreigners. These areas have become tourist hot spots with a number of hotels, restaurants, curio shops etc. being set up to lure them.

Many love to visit the golden sandy beaches and watch the sunset and the waves, big and small, touching the shoreline. We can see many captivating things when we visit the beach, such as ships out in the deep sea, fishermen in boats, children playing on the beach or collecting sea shells and so on.

There are also fascinating blow holes in some areas and the largest such blow hole is in Kudawella. The Hikkaduwa coral gardens have attracted many people both local and foreign and is a popular sea resort.

The sea side of Sri Lanka is a beautiful place. We must protect the marine life, especially the corals, the sandy beaches and everything on the coastal belt.

Thiloka Gimhani, Grade 9 E, Ferguson High School, Ratnapura.

Cultivating good habits

Friends, just think a while if you are doing bad things. In life you could get used to evil habits in a moment, but you cannot get rid of them for years: Even through your entire lifetime, sometimes.

People who have been smoking, consuming liquor and taking hard drugs find it difficult to get rid of these bad habits. Many end up neglected by society because of their bad habits.

There are various bad deeds that have been done by the people in the present, than in the past.

Remember the old saying “Rome wasn’t built in a day”. This says a lot; it means that it will take years to make a change or do something for yourself, yet at the end, it’ll be a success. So, this is the time for seed sowing - to give up bad habits and cultivate good ones.

There’s a small, but important request. Please try to cultivate good habits starting with yourself, then your family, society and country if possible. We can all live happily without violence and war then. Cultivating good habits helps people to become great men and women of the world.

Rishma Farhan, Grade 3 (English medium), Ilma International.

The glorious victory

Hail! Mother Sri Lanka,
Victorious and rejoicing,
Courage, the brightest gem
In your crown,
Against the racial uprising.....

Salute the fallen war hero,
For the sweat, blood and tears....
Bringing peace back to Sri Lanka,
And for easing our worst fears.

We were living
Under a dark cloud,
In sorrow and in pain,
But, tomorrow we’ll see,
That golden sun rise again....

Ayodhya Perera, Grade 9E, Bishop’s College, Colombo 3.

Spreading the fragrance of humanity

Nourished by the milk of Mother Sri Lanka
Bestowed with the supreme religion - Buddhism,
Extending compassion to all living beings,
And sowing the seeds of loving kindness,
Thus cherishing and colouring the bonds of mankind,
Inculcate love, affection, understanding and benevolence,
Truely they are the ingredients of the recipe
Which enables one to build a harmonious wholesome society,
Thereby creating a pious and serene land,
Where the banner of peace flutters in the sky,
Eradicating the cancer of war and terrorism,
Let’s march towards a dharmadveepa.
Spreading the fragrance of humanity.

B.H.I. Madhusankha, Grade 11, R/Kularathne Central College, Godakawela.

My useful hobby

My hobby is collecting stamps. It is a very useful hobby. It is also very interesting.

I started collecting stamps five years ago. Now I have about three hundred stamps. I have both local and foreign stamps.

My father helps me in my hobby. He brings me stamps. My pen pal in Japan too sends me stamps. When I get more than one stamp of each kind I exchange them for new ones with my friends.

I have two stamp albums. I have pasted all the stamps on them.

There are stamps in different shapes. Some are square while others are triangular and rectangular.

We can learn many things about the culture of other countries through their stamps. There are pictures of great people, animals, birds, buildings and vehicles on stamps. I can spend my leisure in a useful manner because of my hobby.

Malshika Chandrasiri, Grade 6B, Royal International School, Kurunegala.