My cousin asked, “How is life going on?”
She had hardly finished when the girl spoke up, “Fine. Do you know that I have earned many awards?”
And she told us about the prizes she had won. “I won this..., I won that...,” were the only words we heard from her. It seemed that the list was never-ending. We congratulated her. But she just kept boasting.
In the end I asked her, “When did you win the last prize?” We were surprised on her reply, “Five years ago.”
I thought of asking her, “What she has been doing for the past five years? Is she just resting on her laurels?”
But I realised that she was not the only one. There were many like her. A boy living next door was one of them. In grade 10, he had passed the exams with flying colours.
Everyone praised him and blessed him. Last year, he was in grade 12 and his final exams were approaching. But, most of the time I saw him playing in the streets.
Once I asked him, “How is your preparation going?” He replied, “Don’t you know, I have passed grade 10 so nicely.”
With these words, he began telling me his marks and the praises and blessings he had earned from everyone. When the result was declared, I heard that he couldn’t pass in a few subjects.
A girl, who has recently joined our school, is next in the line. She always begins the talk, “I used to be great in studies. Everyone used to praise me. My handwriting was neat. I got good marks. I was always active in the class.”
But I always get surprised when I hear this. After all, she is not so good in studies and gets no good marks.
I have realised that it is good if you achieve something very honourable. You should not just rest on it, but try to improve on it.
(Published in The Gulf Today on June 29, 2013)
good one !!!
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