THE CAT WHICH WENT ON A PILGRIMAGE

Pic.: Rachna Talreja Mukhi

“Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.”

-         Oscar Wilde

My elder brother was telling me, the other day, that, for all of us, there are these three ways of learning in life:

1. From the good advice from our well-wishers – our parents, relatives, teachers, preachers, friends or any other well-wishers...

2. From others’ mistakes... When we see before our eyes what happens to people around us, if they make mistakes...

3. From our own mistakes... when we realize what happens to us if we do those mistakes...

“Some people just refuse to learn from others’ advice or mistakes,” my brother told me, “There is only one way for them to learn from, and that is from their own mistakes... They have to fall and learn... Fall over and over again, at times.”

I was shaking my head to convey how true it was!

Everyday, when I stand on this teacher’s-pedestal and go on dishing out advice to my students, “Look my dear young-ones, if you miss the classes, skip the homework, if you get carried away by your friends, fooling around and blowing your fathers’ money... you will regret later...” Yes, with some of them, it just doesn't work...

Then, I give them some classic examples, even my own, to dramatize before them and tell, “Look my young-friends, you better don’t do those mistakes...” No, it doesn't work with them, either...

Finally, in my frustration and haplessness, I yell out at them, “So, you don’t listen to my good advice... Don’t learn from our mistakes... What is left now? You fall in the ditch and learn!”

And, as I was thinking about my own students, I was thinking about myself and asking: “How often have I taken the good advice of my own well-wishers? How often have I learnt from others’ mistakes? And, yes, how often have I chosen to fall in the ditch and learn?”

Because I, too, have done what my students and son have... I was shaking my head as my elder brother was telling me about how some of us learn in life and do amends...

So, what is the best way?

Sage Valmiki, who authored ‘Ramayana’, was a decoit before he became a holy-man.

St. Peter, whom Jesus called ‘the rock’, denied knowing his Master thrice... before he realized his mistake, went down on his knees and wept inconsolably. ‘The rock’ had to be that fragile!

St Paul was Saul, a heartless and hardened persecutor of early Christians... He had persecuted hundreds of them... and, he was, now, on his way to Damascus on one more mission of persecution... It was here – on the road to Damascus – that he was destined to be thrown off his horse, be blinded by the light and hear those stirring words, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

I am still shaking my head and asking, “Did Valmiki, Peter and Paul ‘fall’ and learn or did they learn – become holy – only by taking others’ good advice or seeing others’ bad mistakes?”

I don’t know what is the ‘best way’ to learn... But, this much I do know: I am a ‘late bloomer’ in life... Just like some of my students, whom, I, sometimes, try to unfurl... without realizing that their time has still not come...

So, am I that proverbial cat which had set out on her great pilgrimage after hunting a hundred mice for her daily dinner?”

“Sau chuhe khake, billi Haj ko chali.”

Yes, am I that cat? 

Not exactly... For, this cat doesn't live by mice, anymore!

I am still shaking my head!

GERALD D’CUNHA