Another September 5th passes away. And one more time I sit back and muse on how various teachers have played various important roles in shaping my thought process. Apart from the usual musing, I have spent the morning writing out emails to a few teachers with whom I share an exceptional bond, updating them of my career progress and current projects. In recent years I have also experienced the thrill of receiving the occasional mails or messages wishing me a Happy Teacher's Day. It never fails to implant the thought of “how time flies”.
Usually when I receive such a message, I reply back, “Wish you the same.” Generally I get a “huh smiley” or a grinning smiley as a reply. This time one of my well wishers decided to make a statement - “I never understood this.” And the short reply I gave him inspires me to pen down my thoughts on what I mean when I say, “Wish you the same.”
I strongly believe that everyone is a teacher. We all teach each other some lesson or the other whether we mean to do so or not. Sometimes we teach in a more formal setting and earn the title of a teacher and the modern form of adulation that comes with it but most times we teach through our actions, both good and bad.
A few years back, someone I helped a bit with a few things, surprised me with an email wishing me on this day, my first such greeting. Until then I had no idea of how such a wish could bring such a warm and rewarding feeling to anyone. At that instant this person became my teacher by inspiring me to take up this tradition of sending out wishes to a few teachers. That is one of several examples of how people have taught me valuable lessons in subtle ways.
In the past year there have been those people who have taught some amazing lessons albeit by behaving in outrageously unacceptable manners. While a few minutes to hours of grief is caused, the mind manages to draw some lessons from this and manages to laugh off the time spent in grief and anguish.
I find my attempts to learn from everyone's actions, however minor, to not only serve the purpose of helping me grow but also as being self psychotherapeutic! So, thank you all!