GLIMPSES OF UNDERSTANDING

Education is a serious concern in India. Especially when the child is in grade 10 or 12. A bit of negligence can mislead a child’s life and liking. A child’s parents are much concerned; a slight change in the behavior pattern of the child puts them on the alert and restlessness.

It was Dec, 2003. The schools were coming to a close for the reading vacation. One day after dinner my wife expressed her concern over our son Vinayak. She said he is less interested in studies now a day. I find him whiling away time. He is in tenth grade and should work hard to get the line of his choice. Since last few weeks he doesn't take reading seriously. I told her that I will look into the matter. 

The next week I closely observed him and found my wife’s observation come true. Few days later I called him and said I wanted to talk to you. As he sat beside me I told him, at this moment consider me as your friend not as your father, tell me whatever is in your mind, pleasant or unpleasant anything would be acceptable to me.

He opened up, few weeks back I was with my friends, one of them opened up a topic on unemployment, there was long debate, in the end we left with a sad note, studies do not interest me now, there is so much of unemployment in the society, many graduates continue to stay unemployed and therefore it does not make sense getting a graduation.  

    

Affectionately I said, may god bless every parent with a son like you. He was astonished to hear this remark. I told him still there is time for you to shoulder my responsibility. When I will grow weak, I will myself ask you to shoulder my responsibility. As of now let us share my responsibility. Let me bother about investing in your education and I would request you to bother about your studies only, nothing but studies. Look at your mother she bothers about bringing meals on the table and I bother about bringing money at home.

Since that day, his journey took a slow but steady start. He pursued Aeronautical Engineering. He was more friendly and I was less fatherly.  Openness was the order of the day. He was free to express his opinion. Once he came up with a wish saying some day he would like to own a PULZAR, a newly introduced bike by Bajaj. I agreed. During his graduation I many a time reminded him, let us go and buy one. He always denied saying I will tell you at the appropriate time. He cleared his Masters in June 2012 with excellent grades. He was true then and he stood true now. Things hadn't changed. Campus interview didn't happen. He and his friends struggled to find a job. Any place he went, the employer asked for experience. Few places he attended the interview the experienced guys got selected. Finally after seven months he now serves DRDL and is now settled.

He still doesn't have a bike; I want to gift him one, on his birthday but he keeps on denying. He says it has been a long time, years on years; you have been fulfilling all my wishes with a smile. During that time I didn’t understand the value of Rupee but now when I am in the market to earn my livelihood, I realize what it takes to earn a rupee. I want to leave my life within my means.

I don't know from where he got this understanding but with every sunrise i find him more matured with every sunset i find him more calm.