Education is the quest for knowledge, and over the years I have come to realise that it is the teacher’s duty to make sure that his or her students perceive it that way. Only when one looks at life as a never ending quest for knowledge can the thirst for learning never die, and that constant growth through constant learning can still be possible. In the end, we’re all students in this game of life.
The process of learning begins from the time a child can be able to perceive intelligible information and make something out of it, and it continues till a person’s last breath. While formal education is imparted through school, and later through college, one must not forget to constantly observe, pick up on signs, and learn from them.
Take for example a tea bag. It gives you the best flavour only when immersed in hot water. Similarly, hardships bring out the best in everyone. Look at a pencil. It writes well when sharpened. It teaches us that we need to sharpen our skills to do well. A cricket game tells us that winning requires team work. A bee shows us how organization can work if you put in hard work.
The clearest example of this can be demonstrated by each and every one of us in our personal lives – we’ve picked ourselves when we have fallen. The learning from all the lows is to understand the root causes for it, and ensure that we’re wiser to tackle a similar situation in the future. I do believe that time heals everything if you allow it to – and if you experience life as a child, constantly questioning, observing, perceiving, analysing and learning.
Learnings can show up in different forms with your relationships with your family and your friends, or your professional relationships with your colleagues, or even through momentary and unexpected instances and interactions. We must not forget that every person we interact with has something to offer that’s different from how our own mind functions. It’s the key to understanding and accepting the world you live in.
A lotus only grows in marshy areas, or a still pond that’s dirty – only from a hardship or unfavourable situation can a beautiful or happy situation arise. There is no happiness without sadness, and no yin without yang. It’s important to acknowledge and tackle all the little hardships and conflicts in your life, so that you can emerge from it and get yourself back to a positive space. While in the game of life, a student must absorb all that he perceives like a sponge, and release it meaningfully by applying it to his or her life. We have lessons to learn every day, if only we keep our eyes open!
