Ansariyah
~*SummerIsGone*~
- Messages
- 2,042
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- Gender
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- Religion
- Islam
Her name was Mrs. Maryam. As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children a lie.
Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. But that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in her seat, was a little girl named Zainab Sulaimaan.
Mrs. Maryam had watched Zainab the year before and noticed that she didn't play well with the other children, that her clothes were messy and that she constantly needed a bath. And Zainab could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Maryam would actually take delight in marking Zainab's papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of her papers.
At the school where Mrs. Maryam taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she would put Zainab's off until last. However, when she reviewed her file, she was in for a surprise.
Zainab's first grade teacher wrote, "Zainab is a bright child with a ready laugh. She does her work neatly and has good manners...she is a joy to be around."
Her second grade teacher wrote, "Zainab is an excellent student, well liked by her classmates, but she is troubled because her mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."
Her third grade teacher wrote, "Her mother's death has been hard on her. She tries to do her best, but her father doesn't show much interest and her home life will soon affect her if some steps aren't taken."
Zainab's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Zainab is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. She doesn't have many friends and she sometimes sleeps in class."
By now, Mrs. Maryam realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Eid presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Zainab's.
Her present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that she got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Maryam took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one quarter full of perfume.
But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist.
Zainab stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Maryam, today you smelt just like my Mom used to, beautiful."
After the children left, the teacher cried for a short moment. On that very day, she decided to thereafter analyse the children and their emotions more, as well as teaching.
Mrs. Maryam paid particular attention to Zainab. As she worked with her, Zainab's mind seemed to come alive. The more Mrs. Maryam encouraged her, the faster Zainab responded. By the end of the year, Zainab had become one of the smartest children in the class, and despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Zainab became one of the "teacher's pets."
A year later, she found a note under her door, from Zainab, saying that she was still the best teacher she ever had in her whole life.
Six years went by before she got another note from Zainab. She then wrote that she had finished high school, third in her class, and she was still the best teacher she ever had in her whole life.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, she'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. She assured Mrs. Maryam that she was still the best and favorite teacher she ever had in her whole life.
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time she explained that after she got her bachelor's degree, she decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher she ever had. But now her name was a little longer -- the letter was signed, Zainab F. Sulaimaan, MD.
The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that Spring. Zainab said she was going to get married. She explained that her father had died a couple of years ago and she was wondering if Mrs. Maryam might agree to sit in, as her "mother" at the wedding.
Of course, Mrs. Maryam did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Zainab remembered her mother wearing on their last Eid together. They hugged each other, and Dr. Zainab whispered in Mrs. Maryam's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Maryam for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."
Mrs. Maryam, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said,"Zainab,you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't really know how to teach until I met you."
Please remember that wherever you go, and whatever you do, you will have the opportunity to touch and/or change a person's outlook.
Please try to do it in a positive way. Our Teachers, Friends, Family, parents, spouses and our children are there, to lift us to our feet when our feet have trouble remembering how to crawl. Make a positive step and assist someone to take the first steps.
Author: Unknown
*tears* MashaAllah.
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