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The Report Card


                The other day someone made a comment-“I will never look at my marksheets ever in my life again! Why bother about these!” For a moment I thought it’s true. And then I thought- when I tell people that I have been a topper, that I topped my school, that I was amongst the top 5% in my class at the b-school I studied, it will all be insignificant. And I thought again- Actually, those marksheets were the outcome of a process, a process that was more important to me.
                I topped my school but I did a lot of other things as well- was chosen the best cadet and the best guide, won national elocution competitions and won medals in Karate. These things were more important to me. At that time, topping the school was just about that-topping! There was nothing else to it. I had to do it everytime because it had become a matter of my ego. And so it continued until 12th standard. In the process I learnt a few things in Mathematics, Physics and other subjects but forgot the most of what I had studied.
                After that came college. I studied engineering in college (I wonder if I should use the word “studied”). The story continued, I wasn’t much interested in ‘learning’. My project for graduation won a few national awards but I did not score well in engineering. Now I could brag about the importance of “practical knowledge” over “theoretical knowledge”. At the bottom of my heart lay the truth- You could never really learn anything practical until you get your basic fundas right and I had completely missed them! Today, I hate to tell people that I graduated in engineering, I never really studied it well!
                I met with an accident 2 years back and was bedridden for a long time. I had all the time in the world for myself. I realized then, marks may not be important but ‘learning’ is. My marksheet is a bonus. The actual award (I know it sounds cliché) is the knowledge that you have gained and the satisfaction of doing something well. Until 12th standard, you don’t really have a choice. But after that, whatever you do is YOUR CHOICE. So do it well. The marksheet HOIor the report card is just a byproduct.
                So I may not look often at my marksheets again but when I do, they will remind me of a job well done J

Comments

  1. Akshay Mahangade Deshmukh7 February 2016 at 13:42

    Einstein said once about his report card
    "Single piece of paper won't judge me"
    But, your report cards will motivate you and all those who know you.
    B+

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. shivani chavan14 August 2016 at 11:57

      I just saw this comment akshay. Had not visited my blog in a long time. And I agree,no one can be judged simply a report card. But yes, I will definitely judge a person by the efforts he puts in the work that he likes and has chosen by himself :)

      Delete

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