A special experience

I never thought I would be loved by kids and adolescents as a Psychologist and Teacher. Three month flew like seconds. I did learn a lot from students and my colleagues. Sometimes I did have conflicts with colleagues but that made  me a tactful individual. This was the first professional experience for me in a not so professional environment. I had to face hostility of students as well as colleagues. It was difficult for them to accept me as part of their family. Students made fun of me, didn't pay attention to my lectures and troubled me to some extent. It was difficult to tackle all these challenges at first but with patience I resolved most of the issues. The special educator always disliked me. She felt less important and always wandered in corridors to meet and greet other nonsensical colleagues. Oh God! Please raise her IQ. The content of the conversation which I had with her was always limited to backbiting and criticizing others. I hated to listen to her silly and childlike opinions. Somehow I managed to get rid of her as I was allotted a separate room to work. It was a great relief...I swear of my academics.

My colleagues started calling me arrogant as I never talked to anyone of them. Most of them always had a stern look and being a junior I felt hesitant to approach them. So..everyone started comparing me with the so called jovial and extrovert special educator. I hated it to death. I wish they had found an intellectually equivalent being to compare with me. Seriously, these colleagues of mine need individualized therapy for rectifying their cognitive distortions. Well...I never considered them important. To be honest they never concerned me. I didn't transmute according to their wish...That's why people who know me well call me a stubborn individual.

Artificiality rules the society but exceptions are always there for bringing revolutions. I am not calling myself a revolutionist. The society needs a sensible makeover in terms of its cognitive abilities.

All right, coming back to my journey...Days passed and I remained myself. I wanted students to accept me the way I was. And I am glad they did accept me. Few female students asked me the reason for being a simple individual. They grew up seeing their teachers and Psychologist being fashion fiestas. Well...I was the odd one out in my students' view. I am glad that they did provide me affection and respect. Respect was not out of fear but authentic gratitude towards me for being an amiable psychologist and teacher to them. I laughed with my students, played badminton with them and even cracked jokes about other teachers.. but it was fun. Everyday students came to me with their issues and life challenges. They viewed and considered me their friend, guide and adviser  Most of them would share their deepest secrets and untold dreams and aspirations to me. It was my students' trust in me that helped me cope with harsh, insensitive and less intellectual colleagues of mine...not all were non/less intellectual.

If my university batch mates were with me at my workplace they would have got astonished for sure...the reasons are many. I never liked kids' company and always criticized people for progeny procreation...hey hold on...I am still against progeny procreation. I had always escaped from pediatric posting during my clinical residencies so I didn't have hand on experience of dealing with issues of kids. Being an asocial person I was able to gel with others...I agree it was minimal.

My treasure is my students' respect, concern and love for me. I will always cherish memories of my students.

There is another aspect of my first professional experience which will always be with me. One of my colleagues (Mr. V) always bestowed his kindness, concern and affection on me. He would come in morning and greet me good morning with a slight smile on his face. It was nice to accept his greet everyday. But I always gave him a stern look..and one day he said "smile please". I don't like smiling or laughing for without any reason...I am usually in a serious mode but when I laugh I can't stop it. On my last day, this colleague of mine stated "this is the first time I have heard the sound of laughter coming from this room. I didn't know that my neighbor (that means I) knew how to laugh". I will always remember his final words. It was a sweet relation which I had established with him. We would discuss issues which were polemical in nature and I was the one who would speak a lot...Mr. V always liked listening to my views...this is what I think so!!! He always tried to be amiable to me. I must say he wasn't like other men...he had something unique and unusual in him. I admire his simplicity and politeness. In his view I admire abnormal people and things. Sometimes his behaviour was erratic and he would give vague looks to me...as if he had got amnesia. Wink wink!!!

Ummm....what else??? I hope I am not forgetting anything else to pen down. The pen fights which my students had was never liked by me. The tool for acquiring knowledge was disrespected by students. Somehow I convinced them not to have pen fight during my lecture hours..and surprisingly they agreed.

Ohh...yeah...I must mention about my Metro hangout gang. There were three members in the gang: Mrs. shiji, Mr. V and of course the asocial homo - sapien that is me. We always had wonderful time while traveling in metro. Three of us would make fun of women who were senselessly and indecently groomed. Mrs. Shiji would comment on funky college goers in her typical Malayalam accented Hindi and Mr. V would smile and nod to express his agreement. Our metro gang didn't only made fun of others but we did have days when serious issues relating to life were also discussed. Three of us had varying perspectives and each one of us was given liberty and opportunity to put forward his/her views. I and Mrs. Shiji did crack jokes about Mr. V which he was unaware of till the last day. My emotional bonding with both these individuals got strengthened the day I started traveling with them. Both these colleagues and friends of mine always showed their concern and care for me. I would feel special when Mrs. Shiji would wait for me at the reception after getting free from work. Mr. V always found seat for me and Mrs. Shiji in metro. I must say, he is a man who has a lot to express but never expresses anything openly due to fear. Due to his fear, he has been subjected to students' pranks and jokes. I never liked students cracking jokes about him. I always told students to put themselves in his position and think about his situation. To some extent they limited their habit of making fun of Mr. V...and I hope they don't trouble Mr. V anymore.

There is a student who has a special place in my heart. She is a pure soul...someone who is knowing and discovering life principles and the World on her own terms and will. This student was subjected to bullying and I am glad that I had an opportunity to help her deal with this life crisis. She trusted me a lot and I tried my best to be there for her. Her face will never fade from my memory. She is an innocent, naive and honest girl who will surely become a successful and strong young woman one day. Her eyes were filled with tears the moment I broke the news of my resignation to her. I could feel and sense her pain of parting from me. Her eyes conveyed her sadness more than anything else. She stood numb for few seconds and then hugged me gently. I felt extremely emotional. I always saw my own image in her. Being a victim of bullying myself I could understand her adversity. She would always come in morning to say hello to me. I was also conditioned to her morning greeting to a great extent. I wish to see her happy, successful and contended in life.

I thank all students and sensible colleagues for making my first professional experience a memorable one.

I must stop boring the person who is reading this. Thanks for bearing me. SayoNara :) :)