The letter 🥰

 "Every man is born with inferiority complex" - Apostle Joshua Selman.

This assertion is prone to be disputable but I needed it to drive home my points because I was clearly born with one. My environment, trait, social life and temperament did not help me. So I grew with it.

Notwithstanding, my demure and unsociable life drew me closer to books which were my companions, hence, I became at advantage. My books influenced me and became one of the tools that made made me overcome that venomous snake.

Some people may not be drawn to books and for a considerable time, they'll remain in the agony of despair. This is empirical because, I once had a friend who will do anything to avoid a seminar defense. She'll plead with me to help her do the defense in her place and she's willing to pay me for that at my own price. I mean, this is someone that is a friend of the world. She's so friendly and quite loquacious that at some points, I'd envy her and wished I be just a tip as expressive as she is. But then, why does she fidget and tremble in trepidation whenever she hears "Seminar defense".

That drove me to a conclusion that both and introvert and extrovert can be a victim of inferiority complex. Thus, we both have some works to do on that.

Fortifying myself with this reflection, I began to make a careful observation on my pupils. This is a disease that needs to be dealt with now, else they grow with it.

Having learnt that one of the ways of fishing them out is by being on a lookout for the ones that like creating limitations for themselves. And lo! I found one.

Miracle is one the most brilliant pupils in my class but I have noticed that she rarely answers my questions and each time I asked her to, she won't let go of her eyes off her fingers. Looking at her staring at her fingers while answering the questions flashed my mind back to when I had to look at my toes all day while talking to my teacher. Yeah! She's a shy girl.

I will not also forget the disinterested warmth with which she always opposed me whenever I tell her to go and solve mathematics on the board. Her usual slogan was " Miss Grateful, no, I will fail it". The rest of the pupils will persuade her " Miracle, it's simple, go and try". But because she has viewed herself as someone who who can't do it or who will fail if she attempts, she'll vehemently refuse.

However, she returns with a resounding clap accompanying her after she's done. I knew that she was battling with inferiority complex and that needed to be cupped right away.

In one of the days that I was teaching, she started again with that attitude and I asked her to see me after the class. While I was talking with her, her mum arrived. It was the school's "open day" (A day parents are expected to come and meet their child's teacher, make their reports and vice versa). I began discussing with her mum. When she was done making her reports, I started with mine. I told her that her daughter likes the phrase "no I can't". It seems to have become part of her already. She confirmed my observation and pleaded with me to help her. She told me, that's the way she acts at home. I promised to do my best but she equally has a role to play as the parent.

As soon as she was gone, I returned back to her daughter. During the course of our discussion, she opened up to me. She told me how tensed up she always feel whenever she's asked to do anything especially while facing a group of people even in the church. She'll often refuse, each time she's asked to come out and sing. She thinks others are better than her. 

Every problem she raised, I proferred a solution to them. She left while promising that she'll do better.

After that day, I also noticed that she looks up boldly at me while answering my questions. 

She'd be one of the first to indicate she knows the answer to my questions on the board. I loved that new confidence I found in her and she was also happy about it.

I was busy in the class one day, she approached my table and dropped a note. I didn't care to take a look at the note because I was rather too busy for that and I never knew the content. I took the note and kept it in my drawer.

The next day, I tried to pick up my lesson plan and the note fell. Opening it, I found a letter addressed to "Miss Grateful" from Miracle and I couldn't stop smiling at the content 😁😁.

This might be a little testimony though, but I'm sure that I have helped to build the esteem of that little girl. And you know our class slogan? It is.. " I can never let anyone make me believe that I'm not good enough because I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me".

P.S: The blessings part of the letter... I guess they were written out of ecstasy 😁. Just pick up the salient points.

😁 Agredecido 😁