Let me tell you a story.

This is a story I heard, which came to me as a random & anonymous WhatsApp forward, but had a huge impact on me and got me thinking.

There was a student who goes to a function and meets his old teacher there. The student is now a young man and he recognizes his teacher. He goes up to his teacher and introduces himself, saying he was in his class in his third grade. The teacher exclaims and remembers. Upon the teacher asking what he now does for a living, the young man tells him that he too is a teacher, just like him! The old teacher is glad to hear that.

The young man tells his teacher that it was because of him, he decided to become a teacher. The impact he had on him, made him think of the possible impact he could have on other children and hence decided to go into education as a career. The young man wonders if his teacher still remembers the incident that transpired in this class and goes on to remind him about that day.

When the young man, then a little boy was in class, he had once stolen a beautiful watch of his classmate as he really liked it and knew that he may not ever be able to afford one like that. As soon as the classmate realized his watch was missing, he raised an alarm and complained to you, our teacher. You made an announcement, saying that taking someone else’s thing was not right and whoever took this boy’s watch should return it to him. But I did not as I was too embarrassed and honestly did not feel like returning the watch either.

You, our teacher, closed the class door and asked all of us to line up against the wall and said, “Everybody should close their eyes”.  You went to all my classmates, one by one and searched everyone’s pocket. When you came to me, you found the watch in my pocket. You took it out and continued to search through all the other children’s pockets as well.  Once done, you handed over the watch to the rightful owner. But never said anything to me. I was so afraid and ashamed that you will insult or punish me, but none of that happened. You never said anything to me. You respected me, saved my dignity and my soul that day and that had a very powerful impact on me.

The teacher was in deep thought. “Don’t you remember me as the boy who had stolen the watch that day?” asked the young man. The teacher replied that he did not know. “Remember I had asked everybody in the room to close their eyes?” asked the teacher. The young man nodded, remembering. “So my eyes were closed too”, said the teacher! “And I had no way of knowing it was you!” The young man was taken aback but came forward and gave his teacher a warm hug, saying, “Thank you for saving me.”

As I reflect upon this story, I am forced to think, can we be such leaders who are there for people this way, without any agenda or judgment? Do we have to exercise our power or position over the other, make them feel small, rob their dignity and label them? Or give them an opportunity to learn, realize for themselves, evolve and grow into mindful beings themselves?

Can you imagine what would have happened; had the teacher publically shamed and punished the little boy that day – scarring him for life? Instead he maintained his respect, allowed him to understand his mistake on his own and also refrained from judging or labeling him.

How often, if given a chance, do we think of doing something like this?  Being happy with not knowing and allowing the other to do the heavy lifting of knowing and interpreting it for themselves, in a way that sits well with them and serves them?

Most occasions we are quick to jump to conclusions and form opinions of the other, without thinking of the impact or consequences. It seems tough, but worth a try. Never know how it could shape a being, in the most resourceful way!