Monday, September 5, 2011

Learning the hard way....

In the journey of life we may come across  few people who influence our life to a great extent and we can't help but thank them for doing so. Some incidents help us analyze good and bad and leave an impact on us permanently. I'd like to share one such incident that I can never erase from my memory on this Teacher's Day.

I was in my 7th standard when this incident took place. I was one of the most talkative students of my class and I also excelled in academics. I was a favorite to majority of my teachers (except Telugu) so I obviously thought that I am never at fault. One of my classmates (whom I thought as a good friend) always had a lot of cash with her (around 100 bucks which is a lot for a 7th class kid!) daily. On asking her, she used to tell me that her Mom gives her money daily to have snacks after school. I believed her all the time but still had a doubt as to how she can have money daily with her.

One day one of our classmates complained to our class teacher, Ms. Sumathy Ma'am, that 100 bucks from her school fees was missing. As a tradition, everyone's bags and pockets were checked and this girl (my so-called friend) had 100 Rupees with her. She told Sumathy Ma'am that her Mom had given her that money. Ma'am asked her to call her parents and prove her point. During our lunch break my so-called friend came up to me. She wanted me to tell Sumathy Ma'am (if she asks me) that she had shown me the money when we were on our way to school in the morning (which she din't) as she told our Ma'am that I knew she had money with her. She told me that she actually found the money on the road and she lied to our Ma'am that her Mom had given her. I told the same thing to our Ma'am ( a lie) as directed by my liar friend.

Back home, she told her Mom that she found the money on the road and her teacher suspects that she has actually robbed it. Her Mom, believing her, promised to see our teacher the next day.

The next day I din't go to school so I din't know what happened. The following day was Sunday so again a holiday. On Monday, during the lunch break, Sumathy Ma'am called me to the staff room. She asked me for the final time very firmly, looking into my eyes, if what ever I said was true or not. I couldn't speak! She understood I had lied and the next moment I felt a hard slap on my face! Tears welled in my eyes and I stood there dumbstruck! At that moment I realized what a loser I am! I apologized to her and assured her that never in my life will I support a liar. She made me realize that it was not my friend but it was me who was at a bigger fault as I supported a wrong thing despite knowing the truth.

On this Teacher's day, I would like to thank Sumathy Ma'am for showing me the consequences of supporting unethical things. Thanks a lot for that slap Ma'am! That slap had never let me do things against my conscience. Happy Teacher's Day Ma'am! :)




Photograph Courtesy: Click here

18 comments:

  1. Many slaps..and beatings...I have got from my dad...for telling lies..(not telling him marks from school exams)....I have been sober since then...well..almost ;)

    Kunal

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  2. There are teachers who have a smart way drilling a lesson into the students and the lesson one learns through this, one will never forget throughout life.

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  3. Very very sweet post, namrata....we all have such moments in our life, where we either had a sumathy maam, who showed us right from wrong, thos who weren't as lucky, continued on the wrong path, until they learn through lives harsh lessons....Thanks for sharing the lovely story...

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  4. @Kunal: Good that you sober now :)
    @Hariharan: That's so true. Teachers play such a vital role in one's life. Hope that we never run out of good teachers... :)

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  5. @Ashwini: Yeah :)

    @AAD: There's always one teacher who teaches us things the hard way.... Life!

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  6. Ahh! Teachers expect us to be perfectionists. We may feel absurd at that time. Later at some point in time, we do realize, stress on teeny-weeny details have shaped up our character in a big way.
    Brutally honest post. Excellent writing.

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  7. Interesting post Namrata. But I must say that I have never been hit/slapped by any teacher so far. (although I have got plenty from my parents!)
    Does that make me Ms.Goody-Two-Shoes I wonder ;-)

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  8. www just so cute! Made me nostalgic!Teachers are the finest creation of God..starting in the form of our own PARENTS!

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  9. Nice story :) But I really doubt if children or teachers of today really care about this anymore. I am sure there are still a few people like the ones we had during our times, but I guess, the number is too less.

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  10. good that the lesson from ages ago still have a place in ur memory..I agree with Kumar..it aint stereotyping..kids r just more brash these days..they dont listen to reason, dont see good and bad...just "what they want"

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  11. This is really very beautifully put down, I can't agree more on this. Some incidents in our life teach us a very good lesson that we must always remember.

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  12. Teachers shape students life. You are right. Enjoyed reading your posts dear.

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  13. A nicely compiled article indeed :)..Teachers are pillers of modern society, their contribution to our lives and society can never be forgotten :)...

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  14. Good post...and you took the slap in the right spirit...can't say the same abt kids today though :P

    My fiancee is a school teacher.

    Cheers
    CRD

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  15. Interesting. this post has made me get back to the days in someway as i also supposed to be in a place of yours once before. well written :-)

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  16. I guess we are so impressionable at that age and might even end up doing such things for our 'friends'! Its important for parents/ teachers to guide properly at this time. Because when such actions are unchecked, they continue and will lead to a disaster after a long time. Well written.

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