Teacher Forever

Teacher Forever

By Fakhruddin
(This story is Published in UNESCO 100 BEST STORIES of the year 2009-10)

                                 One meets many people on the journey of life….all speaking different languages…people that one can learn a lot from…people whose memories become an important asset of one's life…whose imprints blur with the passage of time….and there are some such special people whose words…whose character is deeply set in our minds…who become role models for us. Memories associated with them become the light of beacon for us.

                             One such character has been there in my life too, someone whose love, labor and hard work has brought me to the point where I am today; this is something that I myself, my parents and my respected teacher Sir Asmatullah had dreamt of. I still remember distinctly…that timid little boy in class seventh….who had a strange fear inside of him…the fear of making a mistake….that if I say something wrong…everyone will laugh….If I ask a silly question…what will people say?...That boy wanted to go up on stage…he wanted that he should address people…that people should clap and applaud him….but in spite of desiring all this….he wasn't able to do anything….and then when day to their class came a new teacher…young, determined, nurturing and hardworking…he had a strange kind of magnetic charm …a charm that pulled everyone towards him…that teacher directed his very first question to this boy….and that boy, even though he knew the answer, and wanted to speak, was unable to answer it, this was my first encounter with Sir Asmat.

                                Sir Asmat's microscopic vision had spotted that restless boy lurking inside of me…the boy who had something to say….who wanted to mingle with people…who wanted to view life from that point, which one can access only after continued hard work….he started to pay me special attention…he started offering free tuition to me and to three other students like myself… he taught us …how one is to live in society…he initiated not just academic but also co-curricular activities for us… he protected us from the ravishes of time.. and thus our relationship deepened over time…my uncle and older cousins raised some objections saying why I should be spending this much time with him…that this Sir Asmat will turn me into a good-for nothing… and then I heard Sir Asmat say that ..such is the tragedy of our society….and with this we have to survive….I will never forget the day…when my matric result was announced….and I secured first class first position…that day I had seen an inexplicable sense of peace on Sir Ismat's face that day…the sense of having attained something…the sense of reaching the first milestone of his destination…he gave me fifty rupees cash and a pen…and he wrote on a piece of paper 'I feel proud' (which is Fakhar in Urdu, thus punning on my name) ..that paper is still safe with me…and is a source of the constant renewal of my enthusiasm and passion.

                           Whatever direction I took in life, his sincerity and passionate commitment was there to encourage me…at every difficult moment he said… 'Fakhar, I know you can do this'…and these words of his imbibe me with a new life and strength. It was because of Sir Ismat's love and nurturing that I was able to achieve significant success in all-Pakistan-speech competitions, in essay writing and Urdu poetry at the university level. Seeing all my trophies would bring a new glint in his eyes…this would further encourage me…once he said pointing to my shields and certificates….'You know what! All these are mine…seeing them fills me with a sense of peace, knowing that I have at least tried to fulfill my role in society. 

                         I learnt from my teacher to spread little joys among people..teach poor and deserving students for free…value your parents…and always have faith in yourself…  success  will always be yours…I want to be of service…I want to return all that to society…that came my way from Sir Asmat… I want to follow in his footsteps….he , who gave an identity to a timid little boy…even today Sir Asmat is like a shady tree for me, a tree in whose shade I can forget all the hatred, misgivings and bitterness of the world, even if it be for a short while…my pen can never encompass the gifts I have received from him…but my mind can surely follow his path and bring forth the new day.

The one who is in my vision and my mind

My being at my zenith is but proof of his excellence

If the entire city gathers to see you

That is but a miracle of your matchless magnificence

A new light is aglow in thine heart,

O Fakhar

What hue is this in your philosophic

thought's essence

The author is a lecturer at the Department

of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gomal

University, Dera Ismail Khan