ACHILLES'... THAT SILLY-HEEL.

It was 8.20, and, ‘my’ Aakansha* had not reached…  Yes, yet again!

I said, ‘my’ Aakansha… because, I am concerned about her… and I care!

The CPT class was supposed to start at 8 this morning… and, as usual, all had come… I was there at 7.45… but, Aakansha wasn’t there.

“Keep Your Best Foot forward”… Some weeks ago, I was inspired to write my Blog post with this title by our Aakansha. It was the first session… and, I wanted my young students to walk into their dream world on a very positive, very up-beat note… I wanted them to keep their best foot forward. So, I had planned to tell them something beyond the books… something from my heart… something, which, I believed, would help them become ‘fine professionals’ in life… yes, tomorrow!  

So, on that day, after twenty minutes, when Aakansha had come, and after she had settled, I spoke to all of them about those ‘fine’ things… and, I saw the sparkle in their eyes. Aakansha had promised me, that she would improve in that area… and, she did.

Habits die very hard!

All habits get formed because we chose to do a certain act, a certain behavior again and again. In the beginning, we have a choice… and, we can easily avoid doing that act, that behavior. But, if we chose to keep doing what we do, it becomes our habit… a very strong behavioral pattern. It becomes hard. Sometimes, very, very hard. And, that’s why it is so difficult to break some of our habits… 

Habits form our behavior…

Behaviour forms our character…

Character forms our destiny…

In life, whether we are happy, sad or mad – yes, all this starts from our habits – what we ‘choose’ to do… and, later, keep doing them over and over and over again!

 

Aakansha is really a sincere girl. “Sir I will come and explain to you everything…” Seconds before she reached the class today, she had sent me a message. I smiled. I knew she was scared of my scolding, or preaching… No, she did not like to be late… But, yes, once again, it has been happening… She has been coming late, and the habit seemed to have overpowered her. 

Aakansha is excellent in studies… She is very committed… She is open to advice and suggestions… It is only that she is still not able to overcome this particular habit – being late. Yes, this is her weak spot – her ‘Achilles’ Heel’!

Did I scold Aakansha, today?

No, I did not.

Did I ‘preach’ her?

Well, not exactly…

After the class, I announced lovingly, “So, our Aakansha is going to ‘explain’ to us why she was late by twenty minutes once more, today!”

Aakansha blushed. 

There was nothing to explain… All of us, including Aakansha,  knew it!

“Beta, it is all a habit… and, they really die hard,” I started my Gospel-preaching. “No matter whatever explanation you might give me, and no matter however you try to justify your late-coming habit, it will not help you even a nano-bit.” I added, “It will only re-enforce your habit… You need to do something else to come out of that habit. Dear, you have to!”

Aakansha was very receptive… and, all others, as well.

“Why should Amitabh Bachchan need to be on time, at this stage of his career… yes, for every shoot whether it is movie, TV, ad, or charity or any event whether paid or honorary… Why should he desire to be there before time… ?” I asked. “Every time I receive an assignment, I thank God saying that, even at this age, someone still trusts me, considers me worthy of their trust,” this is what Amitabh keeps telling us and I told them to my young ones. 

“Why should Sachin still play the way he does… yes, even at this stage of his career…? With such commitment, such dedication, such passion?” I asked my students. “Look, it is only eleven players – that’s all what can fit in there in Indian team… and, Sachin is still there… for years and years on… Have you ever bothered to ask ‘Why’?” I continued, “Why in this man-eat-man competitive world, Sachin is still there? Why do they still trust him?” 

My young students had no answers to offer… They knew, that there was a time to ‘explain’… and, there was a time to ‘understand’… Yes, under the Sun, always.

“Why did and why does Lata Mangeshkar sing like a teenager, even at this age? And, why did M.F. Hussian have to paint the way he did, till the day he died?”

This morning, I was trying to tell my young students this: Just talents or skills would not take them anywhere… Leave alone the academic excellence. Finally, it all boils down to some ‘fine’ human qualities – qualities of their hearts – which would come to their aid in the rat-race of Life.

Being ‘punctual’ is a quality of our hearts…

 I was telling my students, 

“Dear, your hearts have to ‘like’ this quality… 

like it passionately… 

to make it your own.”

The Great warrior, Achilles, fell because of his ‘silly weak-heel’… Yes, unbelievably so! This Great fighter!

And, I did not want my ‘Great future-Chartered-Accountants’ to fall, tomorrow… because of such silly weak-heels... Yes, like this one:

Being not punctual.

* Though Aakansha has asked me to write her 'real name', I don't want to. It shows her 'sincerity' towards improvement. I respect her for that and believe that  she would overcome this weak spot. We all have ours... and in plenty!

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pics.: Janardhan Narayan