(Walking on the stage as if there is pain in the
leg….)
Hey! Why are you walking like this?
What happened to your leg?
Have
you sprained your leg? or
Did
you step on a stone on your way???
Contest Chair, Panel of Learned Judges,
Toastmasters and Guests,
Good Evening!
I was thrilled with the concern shown by my school
friends. Actually I was walking like
that because the sole of my shoe was about to fall off and to save that I had
no other option but to walk like that. I
was tolerating everybody’s comments just to hide from them the real reason.
However I had reminded my mother to ask Daddy to
get a new pair of shoes, so I was sure that the next day I would be wearing new
shoes.
When I started from home in the morning to school the
sole was torn just a little. In the evening while we were about to leave our
school, the Principal announced “my dear children, tomorrow a very successful
personality of our region will be with
us to share his secrets of success, hence there will be no classes in the
evening session”. Hearing that, all my
classmates jumped with joy. In that
moment of happiness I completely forgot about my torn shoe and participated in
the jumping with other friends. But all
my happiness changed to worries because the condition of my shoe became worse. My friend Zakir noticed my torn shoes and he advised
me on some walking techniques. He also
accompanied me to explain to others the reason I was walking like that. So when anyone asked, before I could say
something, Zakir would reply “His foot got caught under the school desk so it’s
paining.”
That day I realized the general public is very busy
and nosy with others life! On my way back home I think at least 25 people asked
me why I was limping. I felt that if I were to really
get hurt, people would not have bothered me for a reason! The funny part was, some would not even wait
for an answer, and offered an advice or two. There were some who were not convinced
with my answer and would further investigate the matter!
Finally I reached home. I quickly got out of my shoes and walked
straight into the kitchen. “Mummy…!!!
Did Daddy buy my new shoes?” “No son… he
said after 3 days he will get his salary and then he will buy new shoes for you”. ….but Mummy my shoes are completely torn..!!!
and I have a function tomorrow. That
evening, I did not talk to anyone, had my dinner quietly and went to bed. While on the bed I was thinking about the
next day and how embarrassing it would be not to wear shoes.
Next Morning when I woke up, I angrily asked my
mother “What should I wear today?” She said “Don’t worry my son….Last night your
father stitched up your shoes and it is ready for you.” She expected me to be
thrilled, much to her surprise; I refused angrily, wore a pair of slippers and walked
off without having breakfast. I could
hear her almost begging me to eat something but I did not listen and just left.
Now, on my way to school, my eye was on the shoes
of every other school children thinking how lucky they were to have shoes. I was trying to find out any boy or girl who
wasn’t wearing shoes. I did not find
any. I had the sinking feeling that I
was the only unlucky one in this world.
At School, the morning session was over and we all
were waiting for the guest. I was eager
to see the footwear of the guest thinking that a successful and wealthy person
must be wearing good and costly shoes.
Finally the guest came in a shining car.
I caught a glimpse of him from the window, wearing a nice suit like Toastmasters
here. My urge to see his shoes had now
increased but unfortunately lot of people gathered around the car to welcome
him and my view was obstructed.
At the school auditorium, everybody was looking at
the door. The guest entered and I was
shocked to see him on a wheel chair. He
did not have legs! The successful person
who was going to give us secrets of success did not have any legs!!!
I realized that here I was thinking that I am so
unlucky, the whole day. I was obsessed for not having shoes to wear and on the
other hand the person who was called a Successful Person does not have even
legs to wear shoes.
How lucky I am to have legs to wear shoes, if not
today may be in the near future. How lucky I am to have a nice friend who was lying
on my behalf to save me from embarrassment.
How lucky I am to have a loving mother who was so worried when I did not
have breakfast. How lucky I am to have a
caring father who stitched my shoes after his tiring day of work.
Ladies &
Gentlemen, the guest started revealing his precious secrets of success but
there was only one untold secret of success resounding in my ears “You must be
happy with what you already have and don’t spoil your mood comparing yourself
with others”
Over to the Contest Chair!
