It was in the year 1996 when I was teaching in Don Bosco Matriculation School, Yagappa Nagar, Thanjavur that I met this student, named Gandhi. I was just back from Mysore after my bachelors degree at Maharaja's College Mysore, Karnataka.
I saw a batch of students who were new to the aspirantate house where they will somehow manage to study in the neighbouring Don Bosco Matriculation School with the little English they have learnt. One among the newcomer was Gandhi.
The new entrants were timid by nature but willing to learn. They always needed special instructions and always some extra ones at that. They were finding it very difficult to adjust with the rest of the students and particularly the timetable. I need not mention the fact that Gandhi too fell into that category.
Out of special interest in these students, I started teaching them a little bit of English language and Memory Skills. I thought they are going to be of no use as they were still blinking not knowing a word of English. The whole year passed by very fast.
I left Thanjavur. Went to Trichy for further studies and then later to Nilgiris for a six year period of work among the tribal people of Nilgiri Hills in Tamilnadu.
During those years, I had to visit Salem once. After a short stay in Don Bosco Anbu Illam, a house for street children, I was starting off to my place in Nilgiris. As I took my bag and started, I heard a voice calling me from behind. I turned back to see who it was. It was Gandhi.
He was so happy to meet me. I could see his face filled with gratitude. He told me that he was grateful to me for having taught him Memory power. He said that he happened to be a topper in the +2 exams in the school level. Here is a student whom we all knew to be a dull student. He tells me that he scored the first mark in the school.
"Unbelievable ," I said.
" Believe me," he said and continued to say that it was the memory power techniques that I taught him made him score such good marks.
He said I happened to sparkle in him a desire to study more and score more. He said that I lighted a flame in his heart. These words reminded me of the words of Albert Schweitzer who said, "At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us."
He came to meet me in Chennai. He said that he was teaching in a government school. He also gave me a pleasant news saying that he is teaching that to his students as a gratitude to what he has gained from me. I see him so full of gratitude even today for the little he received.Buddha said,"Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful."
He stands as an example for people who are great by virtue of being grateful to people and by virtue of recognising and appreciating the good that they receive.
To educate yourself for the feeling of gratitude means to take nothing for granted, but to always seek out and value the kind that will stand behind the action. Nothing that is done for you is a matter of course. Everything originates in people'will for the good of others. Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of your gratitude.
With gratitude
Glorious Steve
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