Experience is the Mother of all Teachers

I recently attended Grandparent’s Day in my granddaughter’s school. The thrill of watching my beaming tiny tot running, swinging to the beat of music and smiling from ear to ear, while straining her eyes to spot me in the crowd, melted my heart. Looking around, I found most grandparents beside me, going through similar emotions, vying to catch their baby’s eye. And I was reminded of the age old saying, ‘Mool se byaaj pyaara hota hai!’ (The Interest is dearer than the Principal amount!) You really have to be a grandparent to understand this!
There is a difference between experience and non-experience. It is not possible for a person living in Alaska to understand the meaning of sweltering heat. It isn’t possible to know what labour pains are like, unless one goes through them. Because experience is the mother of all teachers.
I remember my father once told us about some youngsters in his village who were in deep discussion. An elderly man who was on his way to work, asked them what the matter was. The boys said that they were discussing how to define the word ‘sweet’. Someone said, “It is a taste that gives happiness.” Another said, “Sweet means that which raises the sugar level in the body.” The third one said, “It is the opposite of sour.” As time passed, the discussion became an argument. The man onlooking, thought it was futile to get involved. So he left them to find a solution, and went his way.
Later in the evening, while on his way home, the man spotted a person selling freshly made Gur. He thought it looked really nice so he bought some. Further ahead, he came across a vegetable vendor. He bought some green vegetables, lemons and onions.
When he reached the village, he noticed the same youngsters sitting at the same spot … and they were still arguing. He went up to them and asked, “What are you arguing about now? What's the new thing bothering you?" One of them said, “Nothing new. We have still not reached a conclusion about how to define ‘sweet’!”
The man raised his brows in disbelief. The whole day had gone by … and they were still, where they were! Instinctively he took out a lemon from his shoulder bag and cut it into small pieces. Giving a piece each to them all, he asked, “What does this taste like?” They all said in unison, “It's sour!” He then took out a lump of Gur from his bag, broke it into small bits and gave some to each of them. He asked, “What's the taste like?" Each one said, “Sweet!” That was that. That is the difference between practical knowledge and theoretical knowledge. Definitions are not important. There is a difference between politics and drawing room politics. Sometimes you need to view the reverse, to appreciate the obverse in your life!
My father would often say, “My hair did not go white just by standing in the Sun.” Age brings with it experience and wisdom. But if that experience does not make us wise, of what use is it?
There are three kinds of people. Those who learn from the experiences of others, those who learn from their own experiences and lastly those who do not learn at all. To each, his own!
We all want to experience a good life … but we want everything the easy way. Humans are placed at the pinnacle of God’s creation. They are the only form of creation that have the faculty to discriminate between right and wrong. As a person, family, community or even as a nation, let us ponder over our experiences and choose wisely. We need to discriminate between the sweet and the sour. We need to know the Gur from the lemons!

This piece has been published in the HT on 7 .1.23. It can be viewed here https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/sunraysexperience-is-the-mother-of-all-teachers-101704577241654.html

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