It was a Friday afternoon, in the burning heat and
sweltering humidity of West Bengal. Everyone was excited to go for the long
weekend and so was I. Suddenly the world stood still, my eyes blurred with tears
of pain and anger. I was breathing as heavily as the Spanish el Toro agitated
by the color red. I felt powerless as I was glancing at my end of term results
that I had failed, attaining a score below average. My self-esteem was crushed
and the only feelings I remember were anguish and pain.
I knew that I had
let the people close to me down. But what hurt the most was that I failed to
achieve my goal; I simply let myself down. I was confused.
A couple of days
later I overheard two senior students talking about how a biological ecosystem
is self-sustainable. I was curious and went out to watch the sunset in the rice fields. I could
sense the smell of fish mixed with the smell of rice paddy fields; it was
rejuvenating. As I carefully observed my surrounding, I noticed the terrestrial
and aquatic organisms whose complex interactions left me flabbergasted. I
pondered upon how these organisms have different, independent roles in the
ecosystem, yet enhance their living through collaboration. Beneath where I stood
was a colony of termites feeding on dry straw. I watched them eat and began to
think about how termites are incapable of digesting what they feed on in the
absence of hypermastigote; multi flagellate organisms that are symbiotic and
present in their guts. Hypermastigote helps termites in digestion and extract
nutrients for themselves in the process. These two independent organisms are
imperfect but survive through interdependence. I deduced that imperfections are
what operate a sustainable environment and I related this to my failure and my
imperfections. I realized that failure exists to teach us unique lessons and it
is a medium that allows individual reformation.
Now I can proudly
look at my good grades, which are a result of using failure as a means to
progress and my perseverance. Surprisingly, from my experiences and
adventures I have recognized many values and assembled a collection of skills
that make me an adroit learner. Above all, I have learnt that the pursuit of
knowledge has no room for fear or failure. Having experienced
these hurdles I opted for voluntary community service during the summer break.
The adventures
from which I received my information shall forever affect how I perceive life;
one infinite, mysterious puzzle waiting to be solved with tools; failure and
ability to learn and improve from it. One thing clear to me now is that I want
to impact a diversity of concepts and perceptions, by acting as a tool to help
others in need, like I do in my local community.
My family and my
community remain the biggest source of my inspiration and motivation. And I
believe that being at University and finally obtaining the Bachelor's Degree
will signify a new commencement for me and my community, as it will prove that
the world is full of possibilities for those who strive to attain them. I carry
the hopes and dreams of my mother who only went as far as 8th Grade and above
all my community. There is nothing that motivates me and makes me feel more
content than returning to my community.
-Dalton Munkombwe
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