আনন্দময়
আমার হৃদয়
নব বর্ষের প্রথম সূর্যোদয়

ঠাকুরের গানে নাচে পাখি
এই দিনকে এত ভালো বাসী
সাদা লাল অম্বরের নীচে
খেলে বাংলার সবাই বাসী

নুতুন বছর আনে উন্নতি
এতই আমার প্রার্থনা
শুভ নববর্ষ
পয়লা বৈশাখের শুভকামনা

Early morning birds chirping
Singing melody’s of peace
Looking out into the forest
I see beauty in your face
Africa has a smell that no one can erase
A smell that echos love into your soul  
Life so simple, life so inspiring and incredible
Don’t believe what the discovery channel told you about a land that existed before any other
Africa the mother of the earth
Birthing billions of souls
who left it but still live in it
It’s blood runs deep in our souls
Skin shades might change
but our roots are deep Within
When Africa cries we feel it’s pain  
When Africa smiles we rejoice with pure joy
Colonizers tried to change it but it changed them
They stole its music, passion, material good, it’s minerals, traditions, and norms
Taking even its greatest queens and kings
Tribal men and women
They tried to **** its joy but it still smiled through the pain
Enslaving it’s people still couldn’t **** it existence
Africa
Birthed in resistance and molded by resilience, inspired by diligence, fueled by consistence
We are strong, powerful, and courageous  
Africa the birthplace of the human race
With our palms pressed let’s say Grace
As we pray for peace

i turn the volume up,
just like any other day,
"don't be wrong anymore,"
to his heart he says.
she's doing the same pep talk
somewhere out there,
swaying to the music,
i just couldn't care.

cause your words are lullabies
that puts me at ease,
and envelops my soul
against the cold breeze.
in the calmest mountains,
to you i melt,
through the wildest storms,
your fire is felt.

and for every time i doubt
and ask for a hint,
your love bursts in me
like a million soaked mints.
threading oceans for you
could never be wrong,
but if that's foolish,
i'll just sing to this song.

I’m in a good place right now, but I know that at any time that can change,
So I wanted to make a few notes to myself, and for anyone else that may need them.

Note to self #1
Beauty standards are *******.
You’re beautiful, and it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.
You can’t be “too” anything.
Too short- False
Too tall- Incorrect
Too fat- No
Too skinny- Wrong
Too light- Untrue
Too dark- Not possible
Whatever you are is perfect.
Don’t let anyone tell you different. They’re wrong.

Note to self #2
You’re not a burden.
If you’re struggling, talk to someone.
Talk to your counselor, that’s what he’s there for.
Talk to your friends, you’d help them if they came to you for something, they’ll do the same for you.
Talk to your parents, they want to know if you’re hurting so they can help you.
Talk to your sisters, they’ve gone through the same things that you’re going through right now.
Talk to anyone. It helps.

Note to self #3
There’s nothing wrong with you.
Don’t feel that you have no reason to be depressed because you didn’t “go through what others did”.
You are valid.
You are real.
Your problems aren’t abnormal.
People understand. No one thinks you’re faking it for attention.

Note to self #4
I love you!
I know that you may be reading this now because you’re hurting,
So I want to tell you that everything will be okay.
The pain comes and goes.
It flows like an ocean does, rising and falling.
There were really only two things guaranteed when you entered this life:
Death, and change.
So instead of ending it all now,
Why not wait for the next wave of change?

Note to self #5
You can do this.
You’re strong,
You’re beautiful,
You’re smart,
And you’re full of potential.
But most importantly,
You’re you.
And that’s all you need to be.

what if we made it
what if
the regrets
and insecurities
couldn’t reach us anymore
helicopter seeds
descending past our ears
making little piles of our past
crushed under the weight of right now
right this second
the hate would simply fly past us
we’d fill each other with life
your golden ego would crack
crumbling down with the leaves
and all would be well

A hug is something you would call simple.

Hug a shy person, and you’ll get a giggle.

Wearing a smile from dimple to dimple.

Good vibes, as always, are starting to ripple.

If I were the principle of my school
I would bring some changes to the rules
A school where every child can dare
To think freely and be their true selves

I would give the a problem to solve
By themselves.A chance to evolve
To grow., with all the senses involved

I don't want parrots belching memorized words
Students aren't sheep, teachers aren't shepherds
I would want them to live in an open world
Where they can question everything under the Sun

Bookish knowledge is not all
There's more to life than Newton's laws
We are artists, us human not robots
Scientist, philosophers, why should we be restricted to some selected thoughts

I would want basic life skills
To be taught to every pupil
So that when they leave these gates
They aren't left confused and dazed

We must teach them empathy
Theory gives way to practicality
So that when they got no help
They can think for themselves

Don't sacrifice the individual
At the altar of peer-pressure
These would be my principles
If I were my school's principal.