O HERCULES, PLEASE DO MY HOMEWORK

 



“Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?”

Corrie Ten Boom

 

It’s a herculean task for teachers to expect a decent attendance in Mumbai schools and colleges during the Ganeshotsav… Almost every household and every housing colony – plush  or humble – there is Ganesh celebration. Thus, the Maharashtra Government has decided to keep the state-run schools and colleges shut for a major portion of this festive season…

Young kids are hyperactive in the pandals… Parents, too – with a dozen things planned…

So, teachers like me have learnt to go easy on the attendance… “Chalo, how many days do you want me to keep the classes closed?”

For five days or for eleven – whatever is asked, granted.

“But, then, at least, do some homework… even one simple sum.” I plead them…

Today, my students had come – some online, some offline – after a break of six days. Only a couple of them had done their homework… and others had turned up not only without their homework, but, almost their disks erased… Many of them were struggling to tell me what we had done just before the break… The disks were formatted with a festive programme!

“Sir, I do night volunteering at the ‘Lalbaughcha Raja’,” reasoned Sanil, proudly showing me his volunteer ID. “That’s why, I was unable to do the homework.”

My young boy was doing a noble seva, you see… So, I had to appreciate and understand him…

“Ok beta, complete it once you become free from your seva,” I said empathetically…

“Sir, I look after the celebrities line,” Sanil was excited to tell me, “I saw Anant Ambani, that one and this one… Mostly, politicians.”

“Beta, that’s great,” I reacted, concealing what I really wanted to tell my student… “My boy, don’t be super excited of ushering Ambani’s son or Aishwarya Rai for Ganesh’s darshan… “They will not help you clear your exams.”

So, I had to tell the class this old Aesop tale:

 

THE WAGONER AND HERCULES




“One day, a farmer’s horse wagon got stuck on a muddy road. The more the horse tried to pull the wagon out, the deeper went the wheels. Finally, the frustrated farmer threw away his whip, knelt down on the ground, looked up to the sky and prayed:

‘O Hercules, the mighty one… Please pull my wagon out of this rut.”

Mercifully, Hercules appeared before the distressed farmer and advised:

“O man, put your shoulder to the wheel and push hard… the wagon will move.”

The farmer did as advised by the mighty God,  Hercules… And, to his surprise, the horse was able to pull out the wagon from the rut…

“So, my dear young boys and girls, what is the moral of the story?” I asked…




“God helps only those who help themselves.” This proverb has become so old, that the young ones, today, seem in need of a new one…

A hard whip from Hercules, that is…

 

GERALD D’CUNHA

 

Pic’s: 1. www.maristmessanger.co.nz

         2. fablesofaesop.com

 

Video: Times Music Spirit

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