ENGLISH ESSAY CLASS 8

"Write about a time when you were late for an important function. What lesson on punctuality did you learn?."

It was Monday morning and life always seems to be hectic and buzzing with activity. Today was Prize Distribution day at our school and I was to give the welcome note and introductory speech at the Prize Distribution ceremony. This was an auspicious day and I had to reach school by 9:00 a.m. as the ceremony was to begin at 9:15 a.m. It was around 8:15 a.m. when I left my home for school. I thought I would be well in time for the ceremony. The chief guest for the day was our Chief Minister.

I was really excited since morning thinking about my first public speech in school with the whole school as my audience; and not to forget the Chief Minister. I was thinking about the function on my way to school. My father decided to drop me by car. Everything was going well till then. I was rehearsing my speech with my father as the car cruised along. I was enjoying the cool breeze that blew on my face as my father drove on. But then suddenly the car had to slow down as I noticed a traffic jam ahead.

Traffic jams were a usual affair in Kolkata. It was around 8:35 a.m. and I still thought that there was sufficient time. Generally I would reach school in twenty minutes. The car rolled slowly as the congestion only grew worse. I started to feel a bit of panic thinking about the function that was about to begin and here I was stuck in a puddle. The clock ticked by and soon it was 9:00 a.m. and I was still some distance away from the school. A truck had suddenly broken down and that had caused such a huge traffic jam. I was disgusted and did not know what to do.

Finally the traffic jam cleared and my father sped down the road and we finally reached the school. I wished my father good bye and rushed to the auditorium. The Prize distribution ceremony had already started. It was around 9:30 a.m. The welcome note was addressed by my friend since I was late and then even my name had already been called out to receive the prize, but I was not there. I was really sad and heart-broken since I had missed an opportunity to speak in front of the chief minister. What's more I had even lost the opportunity to collect my prize on stage.

Now I have learnt a lesson of being punctual. The traffic in Kolkata is generally smooth. But, during important days when time matters much I should have left earlier than taking things for granted. I learnt my lesson on punctuality that day. Punctuality is a virtue that needs to be cultivated in our lives.