It was the day of English viva-voce exam for the final years at school. All of us were frantically practising our speeches on the given topics at the last minute. The fact that the score would count for our public exam adding stress to our tensed minds.
The teacher walked in and took her seat. One by one, she began calling us to present our speeches in the order of our assigned roll numbers.
I remember feeling extremely nervous and unprepared. I sat fidgeting in my seat as I kept reciting my presentation over and over in my head. Shortly, I was called to deliver my speech.
I walked to the front of the classroom, and the teacher asked me to begin, with her pen poised to mark my score on the sheet, and a gentle smile on her face. I drew in a deep breath and faced the class, which had been buzzing with excitement and busy with people trying to memorise their speeches in the last minute.
To my anxious self, it felt as though they were whispering and laughing to themselves about my nervousness, while this was just a trick of my treacherous brain. I mentally chided myself that it was not true, and prepared to present my topic.
To my utter shock, I felt tears flowing down my cheeks. I stood there, embarrassed to the core, willing in vain for my tears to halt. To add to this, my classmates grew silent and all of their attention was focused on me as a few of them exclaimed at my tears.
Throughout all of this, the teacher had been very calm. She ordered my classmates to settle down, turned to me, and said in a gentle voice, "Why do you cry, child? It is not the end of the world. This is just a simple exam, there is so much more you would have to face when you go out into the world."
Strangely, this snapped me instantly out of my fear and nervousness. I realised that I had only felt nervous and stressed because I had given this exam too much importance, and it had in turn amplified my fear of failure. I went back to my seat, took a big gulp of water, and recalled what my teacher had said.
When I walked back to deliver my presentation, I was much calmer, confident, and relaxed than before, and even managed to score well in the exam.
Even today, when I find myself in stressful and demanding situations, I take a deep breath and repeat to myself,
"It is not the end of the world!"
My teacher had made me realise that it is extremely important sometimes to take a step back and compose yourself, before you plunge headfirst into anything; a lesson for which I am eternally grateful.
We remember our teachers with utmost reverence and regard because, besides the learnings in class, we also happen to learn from them the ways of the world. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been blessed with teachers who have imparted much valuable life lessons to me.
To all those teachers, I take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks and wish them,
A Very Happy Teachers' Day!
- Pavithra Seshadri
Image Courtesy: Google Images
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