Thursday, June 05, 2008

The Most Valuable Gift

SSC Board results came out today in Gujarat; HSC were last week. Four students I know were awaiting those eagerly along with their ever eager parents and relatives with baited breath. I remembered the days when I was waiting like that for my results. If you are studying in India, these two are the key years of your education as these results are the deciding factors of where you will land in your career. More on Indian education system later. While I remembered and sorely missed my school days, I realized how grateful I am to countless people in my life and to God almighty for all that I have achieved and learned in my life, including the importance of higher education.

When I think about parents and teachers’ contribution towards a child's life, I realize that what they teach us at a young age stays with us forever and if parents have a good education and/or encourage higher education for their children, then most of the times children also value education more. It is what we have observed while growing up that stays with us. I think this is one of the best gifts that parents can ever give to their children, and for that matter the best gift that anyone can ever give to others. I am so thankful to God for having such great examples and role models in family who have taught me that education is one thing in life that no one will ever take away from you. It gives us so much more power than we realize. I truly respect people who value and encourage education. I believe that education does not and should not stop with age; in short, there’s no retirement from studying. From all that I have observed in my life, I have come to a conclusion that more education brings more prosperity and higher standard of living in almost every way possible.

I want to write a lot more but the following link says it all. Some beautiful Sanskrit subhashita on Education: Importance of Education.

May those who seek further education be blessed with this most valuable gift ever!

4 comments:

chinmai said...

yep indeed.. parents and teachers contributions to a childs life is immense

Kanan said...

Chinmai, right you are. It's not just positive influence but negative as well. I have seen examples of well educated parents, who have not cared for their children's education (knowingly or unknowingly) and the kids have suffered immensely. Also, have seen examples of ambitious children who didn’t have an ability to study when they were young and have achieved their goals later on in life at an older age because their parents taught them well. It amazes me how much effect the external things can have on an individual’s education.

a said...

Very true, parents lay down the foundation of the lives of their children again as u say both positive and negative factors; infact their training begins when a child is in its mother's womb so its left to the parents in what mold would they want their to be in??

Kanan said...

Wanderingmind, I too believe so. Thanks for your comment. :)