In this fast paced, competitive world, our life revolves around our achievements, goals, duties, families and so on. We are so engrossed in being better than others and perfect ourselves in such a way that we have forgotten to be human. We try to make ourselves shine or if not us then maybe our kids shine in an extraordinarily difficult manner but why don’t we understand that our mind is not an infinite storehouse, or the black hole. It is not a vessel to be filled to the rim but a fire to be kindled, quoted wisely by ‘Plutarch’. By educating ourselves in order to achieve mere numbers has made education lose its essence. A wise man once said that success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. But we have completely forgotten success as our warm and comforting horizon.

We have heard many people criticize the education system but has anyone pondered over its purpose? Why do we educate ourselves and what is our sole purpose? It is true that the only way you can invent tomorrow is if you break out of the enclosure that the school system has provided for you by the exams written by people who are trained in another generation. We are lacking substance and quality education because students are inculcated values based on limitations and morals based on competition. But why don’t we understand that education is the warmth of that kindled fire that provides utmost comfort along with acting as the most powerful weapon against the cold which we can co relate as ignorance. To break through this we must be open to new ideas, explore through the most beautiful infinity termed as the earth and achieve on grounds of ability.

You can see nowadays how students feel stressed and the sheer joy of childhood has faded in this generation. Students feel overloaded by homework, a ton of books, assignments, projects and so on. It is extremely important to inculcate in them that education is a part of life and nothing to escape from. 9 out of 10 children would assert studying as a boring task. But why? Is knowledge that boring? But enough of this ‘blame game’ underlined by pessimism. Because even the previous generation finds faults in our generation to such an extent that they have forgotten whose generation has raised our generation. As specified earlier, our mind is not a bin that you dump anything as per your wishes and have no productive effect from it at all. But do you know what is the true glue that binds and differentiates true knowledge and mugged up information, it is interest. If you are truly engrossed in a topic then you are very likely to remember it. So we must not let this ray of hope fade in education.

The best example I can give is regarding the education system in Japan. It stresses that till 10 years of age they will give more importance to values and ethics than books to prepare them for the journey of gaining knowledge and not examinations. Quoting the words of Albert Einstein, “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.” So let their imagination soar. Try to rediscover their hidden talents and let them be the person they want to be because that enhances the personality and heals the body that mere marks can’t. You get such satisfaction that straight A’s can’t give you and that is the philosophy of life. Education should not make students slog but must help to rediscover their talents.

There is a huge difference between learning and studying. If we define learning, it is the acquisition of knowledge or skills through study, experience, or being taught. Sometimes what we lack is ‘understanding’. Rather than just transferring data like feeding a memory disc, we must make sure that the student has actually understood that concept. Otherwise it is just waste. Here our understanding and interest is the fire whose warmth we must procure to be better in our lives.

You must have noticed how our ancestral reign had such a powerful memory and vivid imagination. What was the reason of it? How could they concentrate better than us? It is because at that time there was self learning and no competitive examinations. But by my words you may think that I assert competition as a bad thing but no. I think it is indeed a good thing as it helps us to amplify our performance. But what use of such competition that degrades understanding?

And thereby said I believe that life revolves around the best moments of being a new person everyday due to the mind boggling knowledge you’ve gained. And once we change our ideologies we will no longer be humans with sight but no vision.

There is no use of storing something in a vessel for it may be perished or lost in this case. We must trust ourselves. Create the kind of ideology that you will be happy to live with it all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement into a gallant and brave fire that adds true substance to what we learn and true meaning to the wise words of Plutarch that, “The mind is not a fire to be filled but a fire to be kindled.” Aim high, strike hard and that is what makes a life endowed with success and highlighted by knowledge which makes us truly learned.

What lies in the amazing mind

That makes the earth go still

It is the secrets one of its kind

As delicate as a quill

And once you try to seize it

You wish to go higher

But as it is nothing to be filled in bits

You kindle that extraordinary fire.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton