Learning To Accept

@satchitananda

I had to laugh at your last line! Yes, they develop the technology and you express your thoughts and use technology to reach people and make them think about life

I am a maths teacher - so when you mention coordinate geometry and calculus - it is like jalebi and rabdi and barfi for me - such sweet words, it gives me immense joy and satisfaction when I explain it to students like you who think maths is not for them !

A few days ago, a 4 year old student asked me why do you wear 4 dots as your bindi - most people use 1 dot.
I told her look Kanna - I cannot draw (neither any designs nor any straight lines), but I like looong bindis (lot of forehead space) - so I draw 3-4 dots in a straight line (mostly doesnt come straight, but still looks like some random design!)

I always pass the phone to my DH if we need to specify directions to our home -
My DH laughs at me - if we just turn you round and round in front of our house, you will stand and search "Where is my house?"
I tell him thats why we have Google maps! I was born "GPS damaged"
But despite being GPS damaged, I have backpacked alone all over Europe and UK and even India with just a printed map in the days before Google maps! Because of my confidence in myself !

So, it is not just about accepting your limitations, but also what you do with/without it! As long as we can live a fulfilled and happy life we really dont need to bother about the so-called "limitations" (I dont need to tell you this, but to other ILs, especially parents)

Many parents who approach me for advice regarding their kids come with a list of what their child "is not good at" and how to correct them, make them more efficient.

I respond with "Tell me what he/she is good at, then we can talk"

One parent of a teen kept complaining - "He forgets to check the tickets, he boards the plane at the last minute, why cant he plan, why cant he take more care"
I responded with - "Did he miss the flight? He used the speed of his mind and body to be on time, right?"
That kid grew up to become a wonderful "Problem solver" - last minute decisions, technology problems, resource problems, even accidents - his intuitive thinking, quick grasping and confident decisions are valuable to solve the issue at hand!

Life is not only about accepting our limitations, but also identifying how to use our strengths to lead the fulfilled life that we all want to lead !

Keep smiling
HR

 

Statistically speaking from my experience with students over the last 15 years - there is no correlation between any two abilities - you would not be able to draw a straight line on the coordinate plane if you used them as the x and y ....

But since the system rewards average ability due to discipline and process and conformity - the bell curve of probability pushes most students to be average at most abilities !

Keep smiling
HR

P.S : Sorry, couldnt resist - when you said "inversely related" I had to respond mathematically

 

Dear Sachi,
By this blog you gave peace to many like me to live with "not good" at many things. No need to feel guilty now.
I am happy with what I know. I liked the expression "smart and stupid". I am happy with my knowledge of sense of direction. My mother who studied only upto 8th grade used to give an oral road map. Perfect!
Love
Syamala

 

Don't or do not worry. You know how to write a funny snippet. What use is maths or geometry? Times have changed. AI will serve you. ChatGPT will answer all questions. You will have plenty of time to accept to reject.

 

Dear Satchi,

What a delightful snippet I got to read because of your struggle with coordinated geometry and calculus. I got 99 in Algebra, Geometry and Trignometry in my preuniversity but what did I do with it? Nothing. I answered 12x3 = 36 questions when I am requested to choose only 8x3 = 24. Later I was told when I attempt all questions, the first 8x3 will be evaluated and if there are any mistakes, my mark will be less. My son keeps making fun of me about my lack of basic physics and equations. I am old and don't know anymore what I am good at. I am a generalist and a pain for the newest generation when I begin talking about values of life. I taught morals for 2 years to teenagers and thank God, they were disciplined not to send me hate text messages.

Once I talked about the mind and the class was unanimous in telling me that everything went about their head. They asked me whether I knew what I was talking about! Given an opportunity, I would like to start all over and become a specialist in something. But there is no reset button in my life.