THE C.P.T.
Yesterday, at 9.15 in the morning, I was to teach a batch of CPT students. Everyone had come, except Roshan. His friends in the batch tried to get in touch with him. However, there was no response from Roshan either to the calls or sms's. We went ahead with the class. At around 9.30, Roshan's mother called me up. She was terribly disturbed. "Sir, this boy is out of our control," she told me, "I have been trying to wake him up right since 7.30, but he is refusing to be get off the bed."
This was not the first time Roshan's mother was complaining to me about him. Roshan is the only child of his parents. They come from a highly educated and well-off family. Their main complaint about their 17-year-old son has been: He goes to bed late, because he spends hours on the Internet, on his mobile, watching movies on Television or even reading novels. Often, he remains awake the whole night, and the next entire day remains on his bed. The day schedule, including his college and classes - all go for a royal toss. "We have done everything within our hands to make him realise, but all in vain. Though we keep telling 'We have given up on him', we cannot... We keep yelling at him, get worked up miserably... There are frequent show-downs at home and a hell lot of stress," Roshan's mother was trying to relieve her stress by venting out her frustration.
I could feel how disturbed she was. I empathised with her, urged her to be more and more patient. I told her that she should not give up on him... at the same time, not to become hysterical, neurotic ... With assertive and gentle communication she should convey to him that he is big enough to understand the consequences of his choices... and, show all the love, care and concern with a certain detachment. Eventually, it is all about his life. He will deal with it, any way.
Roshan's mother did not need a person like me to tell all those things. She is a very intelligent and well-informed lady. Still, it is her problem. Roshan is their only son. Her fears are her own, and her reality, too. Sometimes, we all need someone to remind us about the truths we already know. We know the bouncing boards, the mirrors... and the mirror holders.
Around 11, when we were about to wind up, Prince Roshan arrived. His mother had not given up, it was clear!
"Come, come," I said,without making Roshan feel more guilty. But, his friends had a spontaneous good laugh. They started pulling his leg, which, Roshan did take sportingly. I thought I would spend some time with him alone, after the class. But, just then Sarabjeet, a first-year-B.Com student arrived. And, I found myself talking to the CPT students.
Sarabjeet's father, a taxi-driver, suffered from a paralytic attack when Sarabjeet had just completed his SSC. Sarabjeet had an elder sister in college and a younger sister still in school. Mother was an illiterate house wife. The next two years, after Sarabjeet's father's paralytic attack, were real hard-days for them. He had to take up some part-time jobs as he did his junior college. And after he completed his junior college, he joined a call center with relatively a higher salary and continued his studies through correspondence. As usual, today, he had come to me for classes, straight from his night shift. He would be there with me for next two hours.
With Sarabjeet's consent, I spoke to Roshan and his batch about Sarabjeet. I could sense the openness, and, therefore, I conveyed all my feelings to them. "CPT is competitive. Once, you clear, to complete Chartered Accountancy, it is still tough. It needs you to be ambitious, focused, determined and extremely committed," I reminded them. "When you make your choices, consciously, there is a great beauty about the quality of work that follows. No one needs to coax you, remind you about your responsibility... No one needs to supervise or even motivate you. You do things that you love, as per your own wish and will, and you know that you do it for your own good." I continued: "Don't misuse the opportunities, don't waste your talents and blessings. Here is Sarabjeet. His life changed due to the hard blow Life left on his family. Look, he has to work and learn, he has to fend his family... his ailing father, his sisters who are studying."
Roshan and his friends were listening. I knew, they could connect to whatever I was saying. "You guys remain awake the whole night to chat with your friends or watch movies... Sarabjeet has to remain awake so that he and his sisters can become graduates, their house can run."
I, particularly, saw a different sparkle in Roshan's eyes. Certainly, the impact was felt. "We teachers and parents try to do that 'precious little'," I told them. "The rest, the real work, is for you to do. Life is a movement... Nobody waits here for anybody, long. It is not about preparing for your exams, it is about preparing for Life. It is universal, it is common... Yes, to you, Sarabjeet and me. It is the Common Proficiency Test... The CPT, young friends."
GERALD D'CUNHA
This was not the first time Roshan's mother was complaining to me about him. Roshan is the only child of his parents. They come from a highly educated and well-off family. Their main complaint about their 17-year-old son has been: He goes to bed late, because he spends hours on the Internet, on his mobile, watching movies on Television or even reading novels. Often, he remains awake the whole night, and the next entire day remains on his bed. The day schedule, including his college and classes - all go for a royal toss. "We have done everything within our hands to make him realise, but all in vain. Though we keep telling 'We have given up on him', we cannot... We keep yelling at him, get worked up miserably... There are frequent show-downs at home and a hell lot of stress," Roshan's mother was trying to relieve her stress by venting out her frustration.
I could feel how disturbed she was. I empathised with her, urged her to be more and more patient. I told her that she should not give up on him... at the same time, not to become hysterical, neurotic ... With assertive and gentle communication she should convey to him that he is big enough to understand the consequences of his choices... and, show all the love, care and concern with a certain detachment. Eventually, it is all about his life. He will deal with it, any way.
Roshan's mother did not need a person like me to tell all those things. She is a very intelligent and well-informed lady. Still, it is her problem. Roshan is their only son. Her fears are her own, and her reality, too. Sometimes, we all need someone to remind us about the truths we already know. We know the bouncing boards, the mirrors... and the mirror holders.
Around 11, when we were about to wind up, Prince Roshan arrived. His mother had not given up, it was clear!
"Come, come," I said,without making Roshan feel more guilty. But, his friends had a spontaneous good laugh. They started pulling his leg, which, Roshan did take sportingly. I thought I would spend some time with him alone, after the class. But, just then Sarabjeet, a first-year-B.Com student arrived. And, I found myself talking to the CPT students.
Sarabjeet's father, a taxi-driver, suffered from a paralytic attack when Sarabjeet had just completed his SSC. Sarabjeet had an elder sister in college and a younger sister still in school. Mother was an illiterate house wife. The next two years, after Sarabjeet's father's paralytic attack, were real hard-days for them. He had to take up some part-time jobs as he did his junior college. And after he completed his junior college, he joined a call center with relatively a higher salary and continued his studies through correspondence. As usual, today, he had come to me for classes, straight from his night shift. He would be there with me for next two hours.
With Sarabjeet's consent, I spoke to Roshan and his batch about Sarabjeet. I could sense the openness, and, therefore, I conveyed all my feelings to them. "CPT is competitive. Once, you clear, to complete Chartered Accountancy, it is still tough. It needs you to be ambitious, focused, determined and extremely committed," I reminded them. "When you make your choices, consciously, there is a great beauty about the quality of work that follows. No one needs to coax you, remind you about your responsibility... No one needs to supervise or even motivate you. You do things that you love, as per your own wish and will, and you know that you do it for your own good." I continued: "Don't misuse the opportunities, don't waste your talents and blessings. Here is Sarabjeet. His life changed due to the hard blow Life left on his family. Look, he has to work and learn, he has to fend his family... his ailing father, his sisters who are studying."
Roshan and his friends were listening. I knew, they could connect to whatever I was saying. "You guys remain awake the whole night to chat with your friends or watch movies... Sarabjeet has to remain awake so that he and his sisters can become graduates, their house can run."
I, particularly, saw a different sparkle in Roshan's eyes. Certainly, the impact was felt. "We teachers and parents try to do that 'precious little'," I told them. "The rest, the real work, is for you to do. Life is a movement... Nobody waits here for anybody, long. It is not about preparing for your exams, it is about preparing for Life. It is universal, it is common... Yes, to you, Sarabjeet and me. It is the Common Proficiency Test... The CPT, young friends."
GERALD D'CUNHA
Comments
This story about 'Roshan and Sarabjeet' realy help me to get succses in my CPT exams.
"It is not about preparing for your exams, it is about preparing for Life."
This is the peace which MOTIVATE me , inspire me....!
"CPT is competitive. Once, you clear, to complete Chartered Accountancy, it is still tough. It needs you to be ambitious, focused, determined and extremely committed,"
Sir i will try to be ambitious, focused, determined and extremely committed...!
THANK YOU.......