World begins with them, the TEACHERS

sometimes, I would shy away from my teachers, I would even be afraid, and I wouldn’t be happy with them. I do these even today; I don’t actually want to do. I despise myself for that. Yet, these don’t gnaw off my respect and admiration for them. I love myself for this. However they may appear, they induced in me values even without classroom lessons. Their being around me itself shaped and framed my conscience.

As everyone (though might not the orphans, but they too would agree) agrees, parents are my first and best teachers. A simple soft words clothed with warm smile would make me do what I won’t otherwise think I cannot, such a teacher is my lovely mom. Her fair and pretty face glowing with love and care would calm both heart and mind of mine. I wouldn’t think of any mischiefs because ‘would anyone want to bring tears to such a teacher’?

My physically and mentally stout father, a teacher, is stringent with principles, indeed a disciplinarian he is. I am his best disciple, at least from my side for I don’t know what he thinks. I think I need to ask him now, it’s seems a good question. A national language (zhungkha) teacher, that too a product of Simtokha Rigzhung Lobdra, he is what he was exposed to: a very strict schooling environment bordered with sticks and whips.

I remember him being referred with an alias ‘Tiger’. He used force to curb indiscipline in students and their disinterest towards studies.  I feared him. I wouldn’t even dare clear my throat or raise my chin before him. On his part, he even didn’t fail his part to be the man he urged in us. I would, and still I do, admire from his calligraphic skills to management prowess. So, I accepted all his terms.

It was in one of my primary classes, I had unintentionally breached a classroom norm and there he beat me up. He would beat me more than others. I know he did that because if his son doesn’t behave well, this spells his incapability of exerting discipline in other students. Actually, his success in disciplining me seemed like an authorization of his disciplining move. He would announce in front of the class: “If he boasts as teacher’s son, report it to me. I will bash him”. These all kept my ego at another bank of my personality.

Therefore, my mom with her simple and loving grace and papa with his stick-approach instilled in me empathy and integrity.

In schools, I met with teachers very kind and knowledgeable. They took me just like their son. (Indeed they took all the students that way, he he J). Under their tools of force, kindness, persuasion, inspiration, . . . etc. which I can here categorize into two methods: push and pull, I never felt I was worthless and left uncared for. They honed what I had, sowed what I needed but didn’t have, directed their fog-light to where I would find more treasure, tied bell of conscience in my mind, and lit the lamp of learning. No one teacher was of less beneficial than others.

Still I am a student and my respect for the lecturers flows to them just the same.

Besides, the teachers by profession, I had good times with many people along this life till now. Their unconscious actions and even presence filled me with meanings and thoughts. I salute even to you all, like my girlfriends who solidified the reality of life’s impermanence and beauty of being in the moment.

When this day is noted for special people like you, my teachers, I dissolve with others to thank you with all our hearts for your selfless services towards the nation and globe as a whole.

What I today, as I close my eyes and think, worry is “How would I have walked this intricate world if you all didn’t raise me up?” I am certain that I would have given up this life, or might have died million times in this same life.

World begins with you all, my dear TEACHERS.

Happy Teacher’s Day, love you all. Please bless this world. We pray for your long life and your dreams to come true. May all respect their teachers and abide or fulfil their wishes. Our best present or repayment for their incomparable contributions to them, I feel, is being good human beings, sons and daughters and being best teachers to others.

ILiveLove