This is a conversation between a student and a school teacher, who met after long period. Let’s call this student as “S” and teacher as “T”. (I know this has become a long one :) But one of my friend had suggested me to keep it on one page instead of breaking it in part. So here we have a long story....Any suggestions for breaking this are welcome.)
Just to give you background:
The student “S” is one the favorite of teacher “T” and they meet often , though “S” has left school and working as a software engineer in very good MNC firm. But this time “S” and “T” are meeting after an year. By this time”S” has completed almost two years of experience in IT industry. No doubt “S” has become professionally sound, economically healthy; but after meeting his teacher he is realizing something somewhere is going wrong with him…
S: Hi Sir, how are you? After long time we are meeting rt?
T: Ya really. After an year this time. Well I am good. You say. Wearing Nice shoes… any girl in life?
S: Oops. Fortunately no and enjoying freedom of being independent. BTW, thanks for the shoes comment. I bought this pair from States.
T: Oh, I just forgot to ask you about your foreign trip. So how was it? How was your work-experience there? Did you like the country?
S: Ya. Pretty much. Onsite experience was really good. I got to learn many things there. Sir, you should travel once to States. There are lot of places to explore. The great thing I found, there was people over there were pleasurable. The work culture is just awesome. People respect your personal life and unless and until there is a crucial time, they will not ask you to work late hours. In India the management is not so good. Sometimes we find here the late night working culture is the only thing you can count upon for getting benefits or perks.
T: Hey, Common, don’t curse your country so much. We are working this way, just because here we have people to do certain kind of jobs. Look at a person standing in your front. I never worked an extra hour. Still I’m doing my duty in fixed hours. And if you want to emphasize on IT industry then may be somewhere my knowledge is lacking. But I’m sure this trend will not continue for so long. At least a person will get bored in certain point of his/her life and will give up working like a dog. Don’t you?
S: [:) ] Ya. For sure. At least I’m thinking in the same way. But most of the time my collogues are ready to
work late hours and they are ready to provide extra support from their side, so it becomes a race. If you want to survive you have to show that kind of keenness towards work- life.
T: Oh, so you’re again in race. How many races you will participate in? First your academic race then performance race…life is not a race S. Does that mean you don’t like your work?
S: Well… I am yet to figure that out. But for sure sometimes work becomes a routine and IT life becomes monotonous. I don’t know why but I sound like boring guy now a days.
T: Hm. so this is the reason for creeping about work life and putting extra hours. The reason why you and your generation are suffering from this trend is because you people have developed a habit of seeing grass better always on other side. And sometimes you forget to compare your ground and other grass’s. You guys are well paid in such young age. At our time we had to struggle lot for just earning enough. And how is your life monotonous? What you would have done if you have to teach same chapter every year to the same standard of students in same season?
S: That’s the reason I did not even think of doing TA ship at any point. I don’t know how people get in to such field and survive. How could you do that?
T: I didn’t have to do anything. Though I have to teach the same books, students in front of me are new and for students the same books are new. I realized my job is so special that, even though for me it is job, students need to experience new endure through the same task and there is no other option but put life into routine. May be not for me but for the kids sitting in front of me and desiring some good lessons and new thrill from teacher.
S: Hm… I still remember your typical styles of reciting poems and every other batch used to talk on just that style. That time we never found you are getting bored of your typical style.
T: Yeah… My responsibility is not to get bored. Well, tell me what do you do after coming back from work?
S: Nothing great. Living away from home so sometimes we cook sometimes we watch movie or so, then go to bed and get ready for next day routine. There is no time to read books. I know you will get surprised by hearing this as I was the one who used to beg books on several topics from you daily. But this is the truth. Now days, I read hardly any book.
T: Oh I see. Hey you used to write nice articles too. Did you forget that? What about your guitar learning? I remember your flop show at guitar competition when you were in eighth standards and then your tenth class performance for the same competition in school. It was rocking. We all were shocked to see you performing so well. Do you still play guitar?
S: Ya sometimes I do play guitar, especially on weekends, when we have party or occasionally on any of my friend’s birthday party at home. But that happens very rarely. Most of the time, we have parties at nice restaurants. Since we all are bachelors’ and no one is ready to cook, moreover ready to clean up so we do parties outside. Sometime I do get bored of these parties and same dishes trying outside home too. Well, you were talking about writing nice articles…? You must be kidding. I don’t know whether I still have that drive to write.
T: Hey…don’t sound like a retired old person. Now days, I don’t do this and that. You are not even 25 and talking like this? How can you forget about your monthly articles for school magazine? You used write articles, stories, nice poems too. I still remember the drama that you and R (R is S’s best friend from school days. Still they are in touch. “R” is in arts field.) had written and directed for annual gathering. I can still show you those magazines in school and cassette of your play. You used write even in college am I right? Tell me, when did you write last time?
S: Ya. Last article was in engineering college. I do remember those glittery days. That drama was one of the challenges we had taken from A sir. We had got bored of doing his weeping dramas. So R and I had fought with him to give us the responsibility for doing something different. The outcome was superb. We had to go through lot of elimination rounds in front of all teachers and got disappointed several times. But still we all had fun at that time. That time this A sir helped us in editing the script. He taught us many things. With his help we had performed one of the professional dramas in gathering written and directed by students for students. Not only me and R but everyone in school had enjoyed it. Sometimes I feel R is lucky that he moved to arts side and enjoying his life with his own business that he always wanted to do.
T: So, again you have started looking at grass on other side? Ooh. But I guess R is also struggling with his business to come up and maintain his name. He is not even getting nice programs on radio. He is doing some sort of dubbings and max handling one or two shows on radio. So everyone has his or her own struggle to come up. But what you should not loose is the enigma, drive you have into you. Why don’t you start writing again? May be you can start your own blog. I am not asking you write drama or book, but try giving hand. May be you can do something you like to peruse. Remember, over the period of time any job irrespective how various things you handle in a day sound like a routine. Being an engineer, you will not always do something different that is challenging and as per your skills. After all it’s a job, which is an assignment. You will enjoy it, depending on how much life you’re putting in it. We have travelled so far and still you can get the same warm and energy from us. Even we have pass through the same situations at certain stage in life but have you ever realized that? Our generation’s intensity of getting bored is much lower than your generation. Isn’t it?
S: Ya. I do understand what you mean to say, Sir. But I am stuck. I don’t know what to do.
T: Start praying GOD. Do you do that?
S: Sir, here I am asking something else and you’re kidding…?
T: Oh am I?
S: Sir…
T: See that means you don’t pray GOD. You have lost humor from your life too? I am Just using your words…”from life!”
S: [:( ]
T: Look things are pretty simple but you’re not ready to take them the way they are and hence you’re messed up. You have given up your relaxing habits or the things you have most enjoyed or maybe you would like to enjoy so ultimately you’re stuck with the things which you don’t like and forced to do those with no other option in your hand. This is the reason everything is sounding boring or routine or no life for you. You are earning so well, why don’t you join some guitar class again and enjoy it? Why you’re not taking out your time and enjoying places nearby? I guess that will help you.
S: Ya. That’s true. Initially we used to do outings on weekend. But we all couldn’t continue as one or the other from my group travels to home or onsite on weekend. Initially I had even planned for guitar classes but on weekdays it becomes difficult. Sometimes on weekend I have to work so cannot pursue that on regular basis. I hope you’re aware of the traffic in city, most of the time I’m pieced of travelling to office and again the same travelling on weekend…?
T: Come on. You have to find the ways out for yourself. Don’t give reasons to yourself. What about writing? It seems your eluding that topic.
S: Sir, What to write?
T: You want me to give you topic as in school essay topic?
S: Well …again you started making fun. [:( ]
T: oh is it?
S: [:( ]
T: Just open your eyes and look at the coin’s other side. You yourself will come up with topics. I know you write well. You are just blocked for some time that does not mean that you cannot come out of that stage. It’s just a beginning for you…
S: Well, that’s true. I am thinking of reading old school and college magazines in which I wrote some crap things may be that will give me energy to do something.
T: That’s like a good boy. Never give up. There are always times when you are stuck or you can consider you are on down side, but these times are most crucial. These times will teach you what you don’t like and made you to think upon. Again such times are needed. Nobody is great teacher like a self experience. So this will bring you in better stage. What’s say?
S: I hope I’m on downside of the sine wave. By the way I had heard of your retirement from R. So when are you getting retired? What are your plans after retirement? Are you excited about it?
T: Well, I am excited as well as sad. After long period I will be leaving school and students. But I have to prepare for that time too. I still have one and half year in my hand. After that I’ll be free bird to do most of the energetic things. I was longing for starting my own column in newspaper since long. While working in school I was occupied with various responsibilities and off course I had my family to run. Now it is bit relaxing so can take up such jobs where I’ll enjoy and least bother about money. I have sent some selected articles to newspaper. I am just hoping to get a call from them. I am alos trying out some recording sessions on radio again, off course with R’s help.
S: Wow that’s great. But you think you can start with these kinds of things at any stage of your age?
T: Why not? Not everybody is on right place at right time. But one has to try to get that place and one should not let go his passion for it. You must be aware of Ravindranath Tagore.
S: Ya. The great poet and writer who refused “SIR” degree from British.
T: Yes. He was good painter too. He started learning or experimenting paintings at his 70’s.
S: Oh. So you mean everything can be learned at any age…well I used to think of it just as a concept.
T: Yes my dear. You will say the same thing when you will free yourself to explore and do what you like. You might have to take some risks or compromise on so called sophisticated and secure life for that. Take up risks and go ahead for what you’re enjoying the most. After all we get one life and in that you will not do things you like then when else, aren’t it?
S: Ya. Sometimes I feel I am just running behind the name, money and position and forgetting there is something that I need to enjoy.
T: Never do that. Remember we need money just to run life. Money can’t buy a name for you. You will get name by the things you’re enjoying the most. Have you ever seen a person who is having fame and he is not enjoying what he has achieved fame for? Take the example of any saint that you know. Did they work for getting name? Recently I read one article of St. Janabai, written by Mrs.Potdar in one of the local magazine, St. Janabai was a simple woman and never went to school. She must not be aware of name and fame too. At her time she must have not even thought of doing something, but look at the her abhngas’. They all are so sweet and revealing simple truths of life.
S: I guess you as well come under the same category… [:) ]
T: Oh thanks. I didn’t know that. Anyways there is alumni get-together next month and I am eagerly waiting for your presence there. This time I would liketo listen to your new creations and guitar performance on stage. Hey do plan some small play with R and rest of your friends. That will be great. What’s say?
S: I will try my best. This will be a really good opportunity to start something else. I will knock R tomorrow itself then.
T: Sure. [:)] I know you guys will again rock school stage. Keep enjoying your time. This time will not come again for you. Learn to enjoy your life and never let your enigma going down.
After this conversation it is needless to say, “S” was back to his mood and now doing his job in fixed hours and planning his time for various activities that he always wanted to start with.
I guess, even I need to take this dose and plan for myself. What’s say?
