Gone Are The Days !! (Fayza Khan)

When it comes to write something I really feel blank. But still trying to share one of my greatest experiences with you that changed my style of thinking and my attitude.

When I first got admitted to this university I was very querulous. The reason was that the teachers here in this university were not supportive especially during the time of admission I was made to wander here and there by a teacher as I had forgot to bring one of my important documents. We were often asked in the classroom as how many of you are internals etc. As this was not enough the same teacher made red marks on my practical file (which I had copied as it as from the checked file of one of the internals) on the very first day of my class. Why he did this? Because they discriminate. They don’t like us. I was full of complaints.

With these bitter experiences, the first semester was over. Next semester we got a new teacher. Very cool and calm, he was soft spoken also. And this was the reason we often took him lightly. While he tried his best to teach us we spent our time doing our pending work and cracking jokes on each other. He handled all this patiently. Once we were in the classroom one of my friends cracked joke on his style of teaching and I started laughing. He asked me to stand up and tell the reason so that everybody in the class could laugh. I was very embarrassed as everybody started laughing. He was asking again and again and I had no answer. Finally I left the classroom. When my anger had gone, I realized my harsh behaviour and went to his cabin to beg him pardon. I expected him to scold me bitterly. But contrary to my imagination he was very cool and calm. Not a single harsh word he said, still I could feel my shallowness and the immaturity that I had in my behaviour. Why he behaved like this? I was thinking.

I was just determined to change myself but remember that saying “honi ko kon taal sakta hai”. Once again we were in his class when he scolded one of my “jigri dost” for a mistake that someone else had done. She tried to tell him that it is not my mistake but could not. We all were laughing silently. But taking lesson from my past mistakes I lean forward to hold my “imaginary pencil” that had fallen down and tried to control myself.

As the class got over I reached my friend to console her. She started complaints about him and I agreed. She was a little bit emotional as just about to cry. I too got emotional and to make her smile again I started criticizing his irrational behaviour without even realizing that he was passing just besides me. The moment I turned back I was shocked. He did not react and that made me troubled. I was sure he was going to make me out of his class next time but again to my surprise he was cool and calm.

He mentioned that incident but without taking my name. He could make me feel embarrassed easily and he had got the authority but he did not. Like a deep ocean he was as still and calm. Without saying any word he made me realize that the greatness of a person lies in his ability to bear things patiently. For all the previous complaints I had got my answer.

An ocean is great because it bears patiently the stones we throw in it while shallow water makes waves. I felt regret. Though I could not say sorry to him again but I had learnt the most precious lesson of my life that I will always remember.

*Fayza Khan did M.Sc. Botany from Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. She is now enrolled at Residential Coaching Academy (RCA), AMU.