A teacher’s vanity box



Possessing youthful looks and earning compliments on them is a nice and soothing feeling which brews silently in every heart irrespective of age, sex and other demographic considerations. The psychologists say that such esteem needs are essential to nurture charm and beauty in one’s life. All said and done, hearing words of praise for your outer looks and outlook is a cherished desire which silently dwells in every heart.

A few days back, I entered 55th year of this gifted life. Amidst birthday greetings and good wishes of friends and relatives it was nice to hear compliments on my appearance. “You do not look like to be in your mid fifties”, “You look many years younger to your age”, “what is the secret of staying young at this age?” were some of the sweet remarks that I had to acknowledge with a blushing smile. In fact, at times my heart also appears to be telling myself, “You certainly defy your age”. Perhaps my heart which is not getting older with the body does not allow me to see an ageing man in myself. Right or wrong, such feelings surely lend a unique kind of charm and aroma to your life and thinking.

 At times when I try to ponder over the factors which keep me young at heart and body both, the brand of my hair colour, some face washes and creams brought in by the children, some anti wrinkle creams and glow lotions used by my wife, to which I occasionally lay my hands on, my yoga routine flash before my eyes. But my heart and mind search for something else, as the factor at the root of this has not to be just cosmetic. One cannot lend charm to one’s outer looks unless and until his outlook which is bred inside him is effectively groomed.

The factor which emerges very strongly in such an analysis is my profession. I draw immense pride in telling that I belong to teaching profession in which learning and yearning for more and more, relentlessly keep you in high spirits. Blessed and privileged are the persons who are into this profession and are eager to earn more and more satisfying smiles, benign respect and never fading love writ large on the faces of students. The responses of the students during lectures act as the most cherished rejuvenators for a teacher. No anti wrinkle cream, no anti ageing lotion, no hair colour can match the subtlety and effectiveness of such responses in defying the age process. Such love and respect earned by a teacher very subtly revitalises the body through his heart and soul.

I salute my profession and the students who nurture within themselves an urge to excel through the power of knowledge and try to extract maximum out of their teachers. The more the students extract out of their teachers, the more the teachers learn and equip themselves to deliver. The process of teaching and learning thus flourishes and the mesmerising flow moves on. The urge and passion among students go a long way in bringing the best in a teacher. Such students and their responses act as the most effective tonic in keeping teachers young at body, heart and soul. The vanity box of a teacher which comprises of toners in the form of responses and smiles on the faces of students, the contentment and sense of achievement lending unique glow and sheen to his outlook, and above all, the respect and honour bestowed by the society cleansing and toning his soul, is really matchless.   

DR SANJEEV TRIKHA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A tryst with hunger

Food cooked by mother ‘Maa ke haath ki roti’   is cherished by all but mostly at times when it is not available. I remember we siblings were fussy eaters and used to complain that the food served is not tasty. “The taste resides not at tongue but is nurtured in stomach where hunger and appetite flourish to make anything tasty, wait for some time and come on the dining table only when hunger in you controls your tongue” was her usual reply and advice. At that time we used to reject such comments thinking that our mother was trying excuses for flaws in her culinary traits.  I feel she was right to a larger extent. Anything can be mouth watering, relishing, and sumptuous if it is tried at the right time when strong signals from stomach are beamed to mind, which in turn directs the tongue to respond accordingly. A few years back when construction of my house was on, I used to prefer brunch to escape the hassle of rushing home for lunch and then coming back. One day I ...
Read more

Unemployment: Do Not Just Play With Data

Image
Amidst much talked about and widely publicised Govt. Initiatives of ‘Make in India’, ‘Digital India’ and ‘Skill India’ the focus has very naturally been projected on growth and employment opportunities generated through these schemes. The treasury and opposition benches continue to make claims and counter claims in the hackneyed manner, creating the annoying confusion in the minds of a common man. Playing with statistics or numerical data is like trying your hands at clay which can suitably be moulded to create God or devil. Our politicians who have developed the expertise of shaping the things in the manner most suitable to them, very strategically use or misuse such figures to have their respective ends meet.   In order to arrive at real and trustworthy results, the data or statistics must be objectively analysed and interpreted in the light of various factors clustering around a particular phenomenon. The unemployment data which has often been presented and projecte...
Read more

Callous vs Cautious Optimism

Image
Economy, defense structure, foreign relations, internal peace and security, cultural bondage and heritage are the pillars on which any country can stand tall and firm. If we test the strength of these pillars in our country, there seems to be total fragility cued by an element of uncertainty with regard to these very important sectors projecting Nation’s pride and prestige. A stable Govt. at the centre navigating the country’s policies and programs undoubtedly carries the responsibility of making and crafting policies in such a way that the all round growth and development is achieved and experienced. Political stability eluded our system of governance for quite a long period after 2004. The Janta Party Govt. in 1977 which was installed with much fanfare proved fiasco as it was combination of many ideologies, varied thoughts bound temporarily for a cause which could not be sustained for a long time. After the bitter Janta party experience apart from the period when Congress regai...
Read more