REFRESH

There have been many showers of rain but none like this one. 

It was special in many ways…for there was a rainbow after many years, there were many birds sitting on the trees and many chirping, all the waves in Riverside were enjoying it. I felt extremely happy ....it was a feeling, a feeling which was not conscious driven. Though it had happened sometimes before like this I do not know nor can express why it was different but yes it was REFRESHING. This is all I can say, the day before this rain…my mother told I am a good son, my friends said that I play well and my father appreciated me for the honesty I showed in doing his work. This was what it made the rain different. I was holding a black umbrella and sitting on the river bank enjoying the rain and feeling happy about yesterday. It was morning 7 AM, time to go school and yet I was unwilling to because I need to face My Math teacher who always scolds me for not doing math well…but unwillingly I got up and started walking back home.

I saw a girl playing with paper boats and leaving them in the water that was flowing from their house. She was just 3 years old, I was happy at that sight and wished to be in her place but well I am 14 now and I need to study well and get a good name to my parents, these were the thoughts that I have been instilled in me, by all whom I met. I wished that they would change someday and I would be set free from all the responsibilities and thoughts.

I then knew that being nothing is merrier than becoming big and being held responsible for what u have done and what u have not. I went home running as it was getting late and I got drenched as I closed the umbrella on the run. Mom scolded me for getting wet dad told me that my studies would be disturbed if I get sick and even my grandma who was at home started worrying about my health but the fact that I enjoyed the rain, no one recognized. I got disappointed by these words earlier but not anymore, I must say I got used to them.

I was appreciated if I do ten things which my parents liked and was warned or scolded if I did one mischief, this was what was life for me so I remembered only the praise which I got and forgot all the other things.

I went to school in the auto rickshaw watching the rainfall all through and wished I was part of the beautiful nature and reached school to face my Math teacher and there he entered. I was shivering with fear and then looked at the rain I was happy again I got the courage to answer his mathematical question let them be wrong but come what may I am not going to fear anymore. He took my book just to examine the way I was approaching the problem, he said that I was ridiculous at Math and I am not worth learning it.

"Well It is force that destroys mankind and when you force someone to do what he is not interested in, the results would be futile and not fruitful and I must admit that Math is not of my interest I hope that you never question me again though I get fewer marks let me fail and so be it. I am not afraid of failure as much as I hate the force that is being put on me. I just wish that no one is forced against their interest cause his choice of doing things makes him what he wants to be and by forcing someone, you are curbing many other abilities, whose efforts are being put in avoiding what he does not like to do to avoid do what he does not like rather than doing what he likes let him grow by his choice let me build his own values and interests which will make him the human being of tomorrow good or bad let him face it let him realize the good and bad do not instill prejudiced notion to anyone about what is good and bad and let them realize with their experiences" I said in anguish and anger.
My words made the teacher dumbstruck he seemed very eager in listening to what I spoke. He asked, "What do you want to do, what is your interest?" "I want to play in the rain" I replied. Unable to speak he said "Go and Enjoy" with a surprise and I ran into the rain with no further hesitation and felt this was the best moment of my life. I played until it got over by noon. I got back to class did my work and went home after school everything seemed so refreshing and new for me. 

My math teacher came home in the evening and he had a talk with my parents. I did not know where I got the courage to say what I spoke to my teacher I would have never spoken to him like that if it was not for the rain that day. I felt as I have achieved everything and now I sleep with the happiness of achievement and dream about a new dawn that would surely be different and the best one. 

That was a page of my diary, in fact, the best one and the day is still so refreshing in my memory. From that day I was never forced and was let to do things of my interest. That happened 15 years earlier and now I am a Math Professor I am very much happy and proud of what I have done.