A Learning Experience

It was one of the most important evenings of my life. It was the Annual Inter-school speech contest. My mother was really much more excited than I was. She had bought a new dress for me and had given me her lucky charm too! That evening my mother decided to drive me to school herself. She somehow had no faith in the driver. After all, it was such a special day, I was to deliver a speech. I sat in the car and I knew in my heart that there was a problem. I hadn't really learned up my speech!

But I wasn't tensed up at all. I was pretty good at memorizing, so I knew I only had to go through the paper carefully just once. I was in the car and I was to reach the venue a good hour and a half before the program. So I was confident I had sufficient time. As the car started, I look out the paper with the noble intention of going through it very thoroughly, But alas! it was not to be! That day I understood why people say that "Man proposes God dispose of" disaster had struck. In a sudden strong gust of wind, the paper went flying out of the car and vanished under a big, Speeding coal truck.

Oh my God! I could not think of letting my mother know of what a big blunder I had made! she would be furious and terribly upset. With a cold feeling in my heart, I reached school to live probably my worst moment, All through the one and a half hours I kept twiddling my thumbs trying to recall whateverI had glanced through casually, I was lost in my nervous thoughts when I heard my friends word "Long live our nation; Long live India!" I knew that a man had concluded his speech and now it was my turn to go up. I reached the stage with an expressionless face. For a moment, I just stood there. The voices of the audience faded away gradually and there was complete silence.

"I forget my speech, it was a great speech, it was a very touching one too," I said slowly and sadly. The silence in the hall meant that the audience was determined to listen to what I said next. I gulped and continued. "It was about love, It was about our parents' hope and their expectations from their children, It was about understanding children, children are naughty; children are mischievous; children live in a world of their own creation. I think I am myself a good example of this our parents pin so much of their hopes on us. They want the best for their children, I know that now. But children being children, they fail to understand this and many timers they dash their parents' hope. But they must be loved even if they do not meet with their parent's expectations," I said hesitatingly. I glanced around the hall trying to see where my mother was I could not see her. I was forced to continue, "I don't remember everything clearly, but it did have a very interesting example of Ishan Awasthi, of the movie Taare Zameen par......... Oh, you were lucky Ishaan Awasthi, Your Nikumbh sir was there to help you out I only wish I had a Nikumbh sir to help me out at this moment. He would have surely helped me to deal with this tough situation! I just can't tell you all how embarrassing it feels, standing here unable to deliver a well-researched speech," I swallowed and tried to steady my head that was reeling. "How could I make such a big blunder?" I blunder out. My eyes were brimming with tear and my voice became heavy, "I realize that my parents and the teachers love me so much! That is why they had been insisting that I prepare well.

Today I learned that whatever is worth doing, is worth doing well. I had written this 'thought for the day'on my class blackboard. But today I understand its real meaning. All I can say is Mom. I am sorry. I know you will understand," I bowed down and ended my speech. The people in the audience looked at one another. For a moment there was silence. Second, later someone started clapping and then a couple more; and then the people were cheering their heads off? I was waiting backstage when the winner's name was announced, I was still in a daze when I heard my name called out "And the first prize goes to Ritesh Tiwary!"I couldn't believe it. I thought I had not delivered my speech. But apparently, I had done it and done it well! That day I had forgotten to do something very important and as a consequence learned a lesson that was even more important. Over-confidence is not good at all. Or is it?