Action Hero

There are some people whom you meet in some juncture of your life and learn the most important lesson from them. I like to call these people ‘the heroes of our lives’. I happened to meet one of such heroes of my life recently. I rather call him  ‘action hero’ for all the actions in his life! Let us call him Bill.

I met him at my workplace; a regular guy with regular talks (in the beginning), which definitely does not interest a psychologist (Blame it on my education, blame it on my childhood, blame it in the present scenario!) But there was always this ‘counselling instinct’ which wanted to know what was special in this man’s life?

One day he revealed the ‘actions’ that he had in his life. Bill was a very hyperactive child, getting himself, as well as his parents in to trouble, with the neighbours or authorities all the time. Parents were fed up of his mischief and were naturally very vocal about it. Feeling unloved and unwanted, he left home with 3 of his friends and reached Delhi with some stolen money. He was just 12years old! Life in the metro city taught him all that education ministers now aim to teach the children through curriculum- life skills. He learnt how to struggle and survive. He did various odd jobs in the hotels, did things a child of his age shouldn’t do, went to places that he shouldn’t have been to.

And life was moving on in the midst of different and unique people every day in hotels. One day a woman tipped him with 500 bucks and a while later her husband tipped him too. Suddenly their child objected! The father tried to convince the child saying, ‘let it be…he is poor! How will he survive?’ This simple sentence compelled him to look back. Yes, it has been 3 years of working and running around. 3 years of no schools, no play. Was it being a waste? He could understand no matter how hard he worked, he would always be ‘poor’ and object of sympathy. He decided to return and that was tougher. But he did.

Even after a gap of so long, he managed to cope. He had understood the importance of education in earning respect in the society. He took up Mathematics (probably because of his intelligence and also because of the respect it brings along!) He completed his studies and became a teacher (the noblest profession). I heard his story and took bit of time to come back to reality. So this is what makes him special! He has seen struggle, so he values resources. He has been alone for a long time, so he values relationships. He has been in a complicated world at a very young age, so he values simplicity.

At the end of the conversation, he said there was a lot that he wanted to learn from me. Well, perhaps he didn’t realise nothing can be a better teacher than life itself and he has been a great student there! And with all that action in his life, no wonder he will be a great teacher as well!!