At the moment, I have a side job as a German teacher at a private language school in Dubai. Today was the last day of one of the courses, and as usual, only one student showed up, even though three were registered.
Since there was less than the usual three hours left on the schedule, we finished early. Nevertheless, she didn't seem to want to leave, so we started to chat for an hour until her father picked her up—about life, goals, purpose, philosophy,...
The longer we spoke, the more she impressed me. At the age of 16, she had a remarkable sense of curiosity and knowledge, despite her shy appearance. I complimented her and engaged in an honest exchange. As we spoke, I felt a thought creeping up my spine until it reached my brain: why was I so surprised?
Upon reflection, I felt a bit ashamed. I saw this shy girl—a diligent and attentive student—and didn't consider much about what was going on behind the façade. Sure, my purpose was only to teach German, but shouldn’t we always be a little more than just the sole purpose of our job?
No matter how hard we try, we all have prejudices. The best we can do is face our flaws head-on, reflect, and strive to improve. After all, I know how frustrating it is to be judged prematurely. For example, contemporary recruitment strategies often focus on how well we understand the art of using the right keywords in our CVs rather than who we are and what we can do. We don’t cherish people who are unique and different, but those who know how to go with the flow. I imagine that a great deal of talent is getting lost this way.
At least I was aware enough to take everything the student said seriously and respond to her as I would have to older debate partners. Introverted as she was, it was difficult for her to hold my gaze, but she could definitely hold a thought.
I didn’t say that I was proud of her, as it might have felt inappropriate, but I told her that she was on a very good path to pleasing the most important person in her life—the one she sees in the mirror. As simple as it may sound, it is something that countless people struggle with—and it often keeps them from being true to themselves and happy.
Keep your eyes and hearts open. Give others the chances they deserve. And most importantly: make peace with and love the person you see in the mirror.
Comments