I hope you are enjoying heaven and for sure working to boost the morale of your fellow ‘heaveners’.
It was the time when I myself was not aware of my potential, I didn’t know what my capabilities were. I was a small and afraid little girl with extremely low self-confidence, whose biggest fear was facing and talking to people. And I had become habitual of living life this way. I had already wasted so many years of my life, demeaning myself, engaging in self pity, despite having very supportive parents, family and friends.
After completing my school, I entered college and was lucky enough to have you as my English professor. Your charisma and aura was something I cannot define in words. You never believed in conventional ways of teaching. I remember the efforts you put forth to increase the confidence of your students, the extra classes that you conduct on weekends for them, without charging a single penny.
You worked a lot on me as well. You kept on reminding me that I am not what I have considered myself, I can never forget your words and how confident I felt after attending your classes.
There is this incident that I can never forget:
It was some function in college and you were looking for a host. You asked me and I refused, which was obvious. You didn’t force me. Next day, the day of the function, you came and said,
Ifrah this is the chance I want you to take up and show what you are capable of, I am not going to force you, but this is the script and the show will start in next 15 minutes, if you want to do this just come and let me know, or else I will do it by myself.
I was nervous, confused and unable to decide whether I should take up the opportunity or let it go. On one hand it was my phobia and on the other hand your confidence in me.
But that day, in the battle of my ‘zero confidence’ and your ‘complete faith in me, your belief won and I successfully hosted that show. For the first time when I heard my voice on mike, I was unable to believe that this is me, my voice, that doesn’t even have a single impression of nervousness, that didn’t shake or stammer while I hosted the show. As the show came to an end, I still remember that special guests came to me and congratulated me on my ‘brilliant hosting’, I knew that it was you who asked them to do so.
It was one beautiful year of my life. I realised what I am capable of.
As they say that ‘nothing is permanent’, so wasn’t this phase. I had to leave my city for further education. You were not at all happy with my decision, but I left. After that, I lost touch with you and all the great people I met in your class. Then in a year I got to know that you are ‘No More’ and that you lost the battle of life against the deadly disease, Cancer.
I didn’t get a chance to say Thank You, I was unable to let you know that you were like a ‘Maseeha’ for me, who pulled me out of the darkness. It was you who made me what I am today. The girl who was not able to blurt a single word in front of people other than her parents, now is capable of facing the crowd, actually wants to face the crowd.
The biggest regret of my life is that I cannot come and tell you or show you that I am doing great in my life, that I have understood my worth. And it was your efforts and contribution, which made me what I am today.
~ Ifrah
This letter is a part of the series ‘Thank a Teacher’ by aglasem.com, on the occasion of Teacher’s Day 2021. It is a small gesture to applaud teachers across the world, who undeniably play one of the most important roles in shaping our lives.
Thank you teacher…
If you too would like to thank your teacher, or show your appreciation towards teachers everywhere, write down your thoughts in the comments section below.
