BELIEVING IS LOVING

This excerpt is from the book. "BELIEVE ME ! GOD IS YOUR TRAINER", by D.K.Bhawsar.It has helped me a lot to grow as a teacher & i want to share this beautiful excerpt with you all.........

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Years ago there was a primary teacher. Her name was Ms Jaya .Like most of teachers ,she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same.

But that was impossible, because there in front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Thiru. Ms Jaya watched Thiru that he didn’t play well, with the others children, his clothes were messy and he constantly needed a bath. Thiru could be unpleasant .It go to the point where Ms Jaya would actually take delight in making his papers with a broad red ink, making crosses and then putting a big “F” at the top of his papers.

At the school where Ms Jaya taught ,she was required to review each child’s past records and she put Thiru until last. However, when she arrived his file, she was in surprise.

Thriu’s 1st grade teacher wrote," Thiru is a bright child with ready laugh. He does his work neatly and had good manners .He is a joy to be around."

His 2nd grade teacher wrote," Thiru is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because of his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be struggle."

His 3rd grade teacher wrote, "His mother’s death has been hard on him. He tries to do best but father doesn’t show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren’t taken."

Thiru’s 4th grade teacher wrote, "Thiru is withdrawn and doesn’t show much interest in school. He doesn’t have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class."

By now, Ms Jaya realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright papers ,except for Thiru’s .His present which was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag.

Ms Jaya took pains to open it in the middle of the others presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing , and a bottle that was one quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children’s laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was , putting it on dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist.

Thriu stayed after school that day a long enough to say , “Ms Jaya today you smelled just like my Mom used to.”After the children left she cried for at least an hour.

Ms Jaya paid particular attention to Thiru .As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Thiru had become one of the smartest child in the class .

A year after , she found a note under her door ,from Thiru, telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever has in his whole life .Six years went by before she got another note from Thiru .He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Four year after that,she got another letter ,saying while things had been tough at times ,he’d stayed in school, had struck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors .He assured Ms Jaya that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came, this time he explained that after he got his bachelor’s, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was little longer the letter was signed ,Thiru Jaya Krishanan –M.D

The story doesn’t end there .You see there was yet another letter that sprung Thiru said he’d met this girl & was going to be married. He explained that his mother had died years ago & he was wondering if Ms Jaya might agree to sit at place at the weeding that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course , Ms Jaya did & guess what ? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Thiru remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.

They hugged each other, & Dr. Thiru whispered in Ms Jaya’s ear, “Thank you Ms Jaya for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important & showing me that I could make a difference.”

Ms Jaya, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, “Thiru , you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn’t know to teach until I met You.”
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In the words of Dan Rather :-

"The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called TRUTH."