Life doesn't appraise you in a report card

As a child I often wondered why I needed to go to school. Why did we have to sit through the torturous six hours every day? I wasn’t interested in the class nor was I interested in what was scribbled on the black boards. I preferred sitting in the last bench scribbling or drawing in the exercise copies meant for class work. I would watch the clouds, looking for imaginary figures in them. Sometimes a mother crow feeding it’s young one would catch my fancy. Exams brought in dread, now of course I know the fear has a fancy word; atychiphobia.

I wasn’t the popular girl walking with an array of friends. Hence most of the Tiffin breaks would be with a few friends whom I maintained or if not they I would prefer to be alone. I would spend time watching the seniors play basketball; sometimes watch out of the window or my usual pastime dreaming. On my lucky days I would play some silly games with my friends. I didn’t mind.

My report cards had average marks and remarks which remained unvaried even as grew older. I was neither the notorious kid nor the scholar-so called teacher’s pet. The report card failed me in getting popular.

Something changed and I managed to score a first class in my Xii and and not stopping till I graduated.  As I grew up came small or greater responsibility teaching me- Sacrifice, protectiveness, selflessness Perseverance and patience. Ageing elders taught me compassion and empathy. Every time i met new people I learnt about multi cultures, adaptability and adjustments. Every argument I had taught me resilience, compromise, transparency, trust, forgiveness and love.

One afternoon to avoid traffic rush, my friend and I decided to brave the heat and go to the market in the summer heat, standing under a tree, we just hoped we would get one auto to ride us home. There stopped an auto almost making our day. We were parched, fatigues beyond words. The amount wouldn't have mattered, but a smiling face agreed to drop us home. We got into the auto. From the rear view mirror we saw a smiling face riding, we started a conversation with him and I asked how old was he? He replied 19. Intrigued I asked why didn't he go to college? There began his answers, he replied he lost his father a year and half ago and he is survived by three children and a wife meaning his younger brothers and his diabetic mother and the brothers who are in class xi and VI respectively. He rides 6 hours every day and goes back home with Rs 1000. In the evenings he takes his brothers to tuitions and mother to the hospital. He returns home early else his mother doesn't eat. His father left them a house so no rent to pay.

He has 2 months left to finish the loan for the auto after which he plans to complete his education. He bought a scooty for his younger brother. He said" many relatives wanted to adopt us but then it would be a favour and we would be indebted “Smiling my friend asked "don't you have a girlfriend?" He kept quiet. I said "I know you do." He blushed and said, "yes ma'am!I do she was my classmate. She studies in second year. I ask her not to meet me but she won't give up. Her father once came to my house to fight." We asked all these auto guys fight over customers what do you do? He said "ma'am I know I have to work for 6hours a day, I do my work honestly and don't engage in any altercations."

A child in me asked him "so do you get chiding from your mum?" From the rear view he looked at me and said, "I have never done anything to get a scolding “When he dropped us home, he returned us a change of Rs30 to our 150. We have him an additional 20 which he refused to accept. My friend said, in the morning another auto driver charged Rs140. Hence we feel justified with the extra 20. Smiling again he said Rs 120 is justified. I asked him what his name was "Naveen Rathore" When we reached home we realized the ride home with this young man was more refreshing than any air conditioner. That day I learnt an invaluable lesson of true ego, self-pride and respect.

I may not be an astronaut or a CEO of any company, but what schools failed to teach life taught me beautifully. When a stranger turns a friend, I know I have been faring well in life. It doesn’t matter what you have scored in your report cards, life has its own parameters to appraise you.  Don’t let small failures bring you down; let them strengthen you towards bigger battles. I had once read: she was thrown to a pack of wolves she came back leading them.