5. Dada, Why am I going to School?

It is that part of a day in Nidhi's school where no teacher is monitoring her classroom and the kids just started babbling, just like the birds chirping in the evenings, it has no meaning but it's beautiful to watch and Nidhi is no exception. She was laughing so hard, cracking jokes with her friends and then suddenly the teacher enters, and the whole class goes pin drop silence as if someone just pressed the mute button, and everyone stands up to wish the incoming teacher and says "Good Afternoon miss" in a perfect sync and rhythm as if someone programmed it in their mind. Sit down everyone, says the teacher giving a frowned look to the entire class. The class begins by the teacher pronouncing a word and the entire class repeating it after her and the same goes on till the end of the class and the teacher even gives an imposition of writing a few words 10 times each for those who couldn't pronounce properly. Nidhi got five such words as imposition.

Later in the evening, when Vasu came to pick her up, she looks dejected.

Vasu asks her, What happened sweetheart? you look sad.

Yes dada, I got an extra homework, an imposition to complete today, says Nidhi.

Don't worry beta, I will help you out on this, says Vasu.

Ok dada, says Nidhi in a feeble tone.

She has to be cheered up, thinks Vasu and says, Who else wants an ice-cream apart from me, says Vasu raising his hand.

Immediately Nidhi's face is filled with a big smile and she says, I want it dada raising her hand high.

Vasu pulls over at the nearest ice cream parlor and buys Nidhi her favorite ice cream. Vasu hands over ice-cream to Nidhi saying, your mama shouldn't know about this.

Deal, says Nidhi gently holding the ice cream as if it is a priceless possession. 

Dada, I have a question, says Nidhi licking the ice-cream.

What is it sweetheart? says Vasu.

Why am I going to school? asks Nidhi.

Vasu seems baffled with her question, I never asked my dad these kind of questions, thinks Vasu. But, he has to answer his daughter.

It is to get you educated. I mean school is the best possible way to get proper education beta, answers Vasu.

Oh. But why should we get educated in the first place dada, asks Nidhi.

That's a good question sweetheart. Education teaches us a lot of things like discipline, Compassion and prepares us for future challenges in life, says Vasu.

Oh..is it? So education teaches us discipline and compassion? asks Nidhi.

Yes beta. 

But dada, in our house, I have seen ants go around in a straight line every single time with utmost discipline. But, they don't go to school like me. I wonder who could have taught them so.

Hmm ...my daughter has a valid point, thinks Vasu. Also, dogs show immense loyalty and compassion towards its master, who could have taught them so without formal education? thinks Vasu. He feels that these days, Nidhi is seriously pushing his thinking horizon. Nonetheless, he has to answer her question.

Nidhi beta, every species in this world has a natural ability. For instance, ants have been hard-wired to go in a straight line and dogs, to show love and compassion towards its master. It comes natural to them.

Hmm...I got it dada. But, we humans should also have some natural quality right, asks an innocent Nidhi.

Vasu smiles and says, True beta. Its a very good question. The natural ability of humans is their intelligence, says Vasu.

No other species in this world has the ability to perceive things as we humans do. With our intelligence, we have the ability to create a beautiful world around us or even destroy it, and education plays a vital role in guiding us in choosing the right path, says Vasu. 

So Nidhi beta, if you are educated, not only will you create a better life for yourself but also for others around you, says Vasu.

I got it dada. But, I have another question.

Recently, in our school, the anime version of the great epic Ramayana was shown to the entire class. In that, the antagonist Ravana, on one side, was depicted as a villain, using his intelligence and might for bad purposes and on another, he was shown as a great devotee of Shiva and a learned scholar who mastered vedas. How can an educated man do this dada? asks Nidhi

Vasu takes a deep breath and says, You have a valid point beta. But, always remember, our actions are not solely guided by education, there are many factors involved, which I doubt is beyond your little brain's understanding. When you grow up you will understand these facets better.

Ok dada.

Vasu is subconsciously driving his car but deep within his mind, he is thinking about Nidhi's question. We have been told since our childhood that education is very important to put us in a right path in life but there are many facets like ego, greed, anger, passion etc.., and how we manage them decides our path in our life. For instance, we often see in news that someone who is highly educated taking the path of terrorism and a big business following unethical practices to eliminate competition out of sheer greed for profit. Sadly, School doesn't teach an individual how to manage these facets, or rather I would call them emotions. 

I have decided, thinks Vasu. Let Nidhi learn whatever she can from school. But, I will make sure to teach her to manage these emotions which inturn will help her in better decision making. 

Thus, with just a naive question of Nidhi, Vasu realised that though humans are blessed with intelligence as a natural ability, what we should strive to achieve in life is Emotional intelligence.