What sinks in is what has been listened to! My tryst with an elected representative!

One of the high ranking official (incredibly high) paid a chance and a scheduled visit to my school and the purpose of the visit redeemed after the official left. His advices, the so called, “Kalop Zangpo” (Good advice formally!) left us (teachers) bemused if not preoccupied and left us for thinking.  He had all the tenacity of being a high ranking official, especially the posture in which he presented in front of a thousand plus students along with fifty or so staff.

Motivation was the talk of the morning and he presented to us that motivation was the ultimate driving force behind all undertakings and endeavors-a common fact re iterated! I know on the other that if something is good (The Kalop Zangpo), it’s worth telling twice.

But when the ‘worth telling twice’ thing is repeated again and again at the mercy of listeners going awry in thoughts, one cannot help but generate mixed feelings about the speaker who assumes a momentary detoxification forgetting that we are all made up of flesh and bones, if not blood! His narrative ability on advises is quite commendable as he can put the most un-humble of the listeners to sleep. The instant question on my mind was, how did he garner votes during his politicking campaign?

We lent our ears for all that he had to say and he offered us his to answer ours. But, when question 1 came in, he reflected the same to the other subordinate who was just behind. Never answered question 1 of course!

Considering the official’s tryst in our ministry, he was an old veteran. While trying to answer Question 1, he misquoted JFK. It should have been, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country”. I unquote-with all due respect! He thus misquoted, “If you cannot………….” naming the great American statesman JFK. Absurdity! Also never took in Question 2 and hurriedly left faintly murmuring I have someone waiting for me. If a mass of people genuinely talk, not necessarily good, about someone, it should be perceived that everything is wrong with that someone.  The talks came from various anecdotal incidents where he held such visits and gatherings.

An inspiration must be aroused in listeners when such decorated official speaks to a curious gathering. Instead, a de-motivating seed was sown in our hearts. I wrote-out what my colleagues spoke-out from their hearts-out. So while listening I will now filter people, who to listen to whom not to. What sinks in the heart is what one has listened to genuinely. This is the story of my tryst with an elected representative.

So dear folks happy listening to your own representatives! Have a good day ahead!

“The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them."— Ralph Nichols