Author: Atharv Rangole, Class X E
Let me tell you a story emphasizing upon the necessary instigation of the conventional habitude of affixing oneself to moral grounds, and yet the long-lost practice of not floccinaucinihilipilificating the commonly deprecated masses. The story also focuses its light on the power of having an equitable mindset, along with the indispensable usage of felicitous vocabulary…
“Twenty years ago, I, along with my dad, was waiting for the night bus to come, so that we could finally head home. Dad used to work the afternoon and evening shifts at the Berryman Café, and I used to pack his lunch and take it to him every day after school. We used to spend the evenings together, and would leave for home at eight each night, either by walking, or, if I got lucky, sometimes by the bus.
The pouring rain had been engulfed by the darkness, and I was feeling quite warm, huddled in dad’s oversized coat, standing in the sheltered bus station. On the opposite pavement, a disheveled man in ragged clothes was sluggishly raking the leaves off the thoroughfare. His eyes blinked ceaselessly due to the incessant rain, as his hands unremittingly scratched his chin. The man hopelessly looked around, and then got back to finishing his work.
Another boy my age was standing in the shelter with his father, presumably waiting for the same bus. His father pointed his finger at the man, and said, ‘Son, if you do not study, you will end up being like him.’
On hearing this, my face instinctively turned towards my dad. He gently placed his hand on my shoulder and smiled. Gesturing towards the tattered man, he said earnestly, ‘Son, if you study, you will be able to make the world a better place for him.’”
This beautiful story, is the perfect amalgamation of true hopefulness, and parlance, and emphasizes upon the necessary complementation of psychology, and phraseology— it shows us the power that positive psychology can have on a child’s mindset, at the same time, cautioning us, that this consciousness needs the right words, to leave an everlasting impact.
The eventual goal of both the fathers was the same— first, to make their child realize the importance of education, which, will, when all is said and done, brighten the child’s future. However, the basic dominant contrast between the psychology of the two children, growing up, would be this— The first child would be in constant fear of his future, and thus, his intrinsic motivation to perform well in life, will, at any point of time, be directed by trepidation of ending up like the battered man he had looked down upon, as a child. On the other hand, the latter, would try equally hard to accomplish something in life, but with hope, and wishful thinking in his heart, and not perpetual anxiety.
The first child may, or may not achieve something in life, but the latter will definitely be the one to bring the change the society yearns for. The second child, will be the one to amend the world, so that it becomes a better place for the people he looks forward to helping, with his efforts.
