S-T-R-E-C-H

DAY 17/30/17/JUNE/2020


S-T-R-E-C-H


“This is not fair. This is too much work to do.” Avani cribbed. She was clearly upset with the increasing homework given by the teachers. “We didn't have so much until last year. It seems the school has gone crazy this year. They want the students to slog like donkeys.” Avani’s upset was turning into an irritation and slowly inching towards anger.


Her father was sitting in the living room reading the book of his favorite author. After a while, Avani hit the anger button as expected and that is the time her father got disturbed with the noise. He generally inquired, “What happened?” Avani came out in the living room with an irritated expression and blurted out her concern in front of her father. Her father smiled, acknowledged her emotion and asked her to sit. “Relax beta, here, have some water.” Avani gulped down a glass of water and looked slightly better. “Be relaxed. Now take a few deep breaths.” Avani didn't understand the connection but knew that it was her father’s style to calm down before any conversation. “Are you feeling better? Are you feeling a little calm now?”


“Ok, so beta, what I understand is that you are upset about the volume of homework given to you. Also comparatively your seventh class homework last year was much less.” “Yes! That’s right!” said Avani. “Do you remember Avani, that you had raised the same concern during the early period of your seventh class? Well now you are saying that the volume of homework in seventh class was much lower. So do you realize why this happens year on year? And do you realize something happening in the process?”


Avani was puzzled at these questions and unsure what is the point that her father is trying to drive home? With the same puzzled expression she said, “Dad, what are you trying to say? I don’t understand.” “Sure. let me explain” said the father. “Beta, as we grow, the capacity of our body and mind also grows. Our ability to do work, think, our strength, mental functions, everything gets to the next level. Now if you continue to do the same amount of work, as you are used to, you are not utilizing this extra capacity that you have built in one year. If you continue to un-utilize the extra capacity, our bodily system gets a message that they need to operate at the previous levels. In doing so the extra capacity is ignored. Now if we continue to do so throughout our life, we are completely wasting the potential energy we have gained. Eventually you end up thinking that whatever you are performing now is your ultimate capacity and you make choices accordingly in your life. Are you following what I am saying, beta?” Avani was kind of lost in the whole conversation trying to find a ground. “Dad, I am getting some of the things, but not all. Can you please explain simply?”


“Sure! I would love to. So think of a student who is good at athletics. Who was that guy from your ruby house who won so many medals in different sports events during last year’s sports day?” “Oh yes! That was Raman.” “Yes! Raman. Now imagine when Raman and his parents and teachers realized that he is good with sports and athletics, they must have put him for some coaching. Now do you think the coach would have made him run ten laps on the first day, followed by twenty push ups on the very first day?” “No, not at all. How can the coach load Raman with so much right from the first day? Sounds silly!” “Great! How do you think the coach would have gone about coaching Raman?” “Well” said Avani, “it's obvious that the coach would have first given him some basic targets to understand his capacity. Slowly and gradually he would have increased the targets.” “Excellent! How do you think Raman would have reacted?” “Well, Raman would not have liked the increased targets initially, but by practicing he would have eventually achieved it.” “Excellent! Now you are getting a hang of it. Now tell me, had it been so that the coach would have kept the same targets for Raman, what would have happened?” “I guess, it would have been boring for Raman and the coach as well. Raman could have felt happy initially that he could achieve all targets, however later would have got bored.” “Nice! And what about his performance on the sports day? Would it be possible for him to win so many medals?” “I don’t know. If he is practicing with the same target for years together,probably he would be beaten in the competitions.”


“So do you realize, that when Raman’s coach was increasing his targets, he was wanting Raman to stretch beyond his own limits and discover the potential he had gathered by then. Of course to begin with, it would have been tough for Raman, because he had never done it. But gradually, as you said, he would get comfortable in doing so. So today doing twenty laps and twenty push ups as a part of practice would be very easy for Raman. So what has happened in this journey is that Raman has built his capacity to do much more than day one. Of course he would have never imagined on day one that he would become capable of doing so much in the future. Now do you understand it beta, what I am trying to say?”


Avani had realized something very important through that conversation with her father. She thought for a while, nodded in acknowledgement, organized her thoughts and said, “Dad, I get it. There is no use cribbing and getting upset over the work given to me by my teachers because somewhere they are helping me realize my potential. Also probably, once I get into a practice of carrying out so much volume, it might look easy in the next three months. I might do more after that. So, it's for my own good.”


“Wonderful! Stretching your limits always helps realize your true potential” said Avani’s father. He looked proudly at Avani and hugged her and kissed her forehead. He went inside. Avani sat there on the sofa for a while. She curiously looked at what book her father was reading.


The book was titled ‘It's a matter of ATTITUDE’ by Justin Herald. She flipped open the page which her father had bookmarked. It read “IMPOSSIBLE IS JUST AN OPINION!”


© - Rahul Shinde 17/JUN/2020