Becoming a Fine Wine Without Whining…
As whining will make the process a bit longer.
Once upon a time…
I had a teacher in school with whom I shared a special bond. She was a science teacher but spoke philosophy all the time. I still do not know why she was a science teacher.
One day, I had a hectic day. I had morning sports, classes, tuition, and weekly tests to prepare for and I just could not get the time to do her assignment. And I was okay with it because of the bond that we shared. I knew that she would understand.
She called me into the staff room when she got to know that I had not submitted the assignment. Luckily, no other teacher was present there. Phew!
She asked, nonchalantly, ‘Why didn’t you submit your assignment?’
I said, ‘I am so sorry. I did not get the time.’
‘How?’
‘I have to play at 5:30 AM. Then classes are till 3:00 PM. Then I have to take extra classes for mathematics which stretch up to 6:00 PM.’
‘Umm, so?’
‘Sorry?’
‘So? You chose all this, right? I did not ask you to play in the morning. You just can’t choose to do my assignment? Why?’
‘I seriously did not have time. The coach and other teachers are pressuring me and I thought you would understand because you are the best, you know?’
‘Butter is for the bread. Not for me.’
She continued, ‘So, I, too, should pressurize you. Got it.’
‘NOO!’
‘I think if you can take their pressures, you can take mine too. A little pressure doesn’t hurt anyone.’
‘What?’
‘Well, I am just preparing you for life after school. We get wine when we crush the grapes, you know. Not by petting them lightly.
It is easy to live an easy life. No offense. Personal choice. But it takes great courage to live a life where you always have to be ready to be crushed.
And it’s cool only. You are being crushed and tested so that you can crush others eventually.’
‘OHHH! By winning and proving that we are worth it?’
‘No. You are already worth it when you choose to be crushed, every day. By crush, I mean making others learn too. If they too have the courage, why not put them to the test as well? And pass on your knowledge and experience.
All negative words need not be used negatively, right?’
‘Oh okay! I will submit the assignment by tomorrow.’
‘Good!’
I left without actually understanding what it meant. ‘Why was she telling me all this?’, I thought.
Until now…
When I was working late on a work project.
My mom asked me, ‘Haye! Go and sleep! Why are you doing all this tik-tik on your laptop till now?’
I responded with, ‘It’s work.’
‘You know you don’t have to do this, right?’
‘Yes, I know. But I like it. I chose this. It’s cool.’
And I suddenly remembered that I was preparing to be wine, from a grape since I was a teenager. In my own way of course. This pressure was nothing for me now. And I was ready for more. I had evolved. Just like everyone else.
We are choosing our karma every day. To get better each day. To become a top-class wine.
Some people have to do mental work, others, physical. But all of us are just aspiring to be wines.
My teacher was teaching what she had learned. She tried to pass that on like a good human being. I was just too naive to understand that she was already a fine wine!
But now that I know what her intent was, I will also help other people do the same, even though it might strike them after 10 years.
So, continue to be crushed… so that you can crush it! ;)
Until Next Time,
Toodles!
