BE "DEAF"

In my junior high school days at Kabulonga Boys Secondary School, I had a classmate who had a hearing impairment (found it difficult to hear).

As a result of this physical limitation, he always sat in the front row desk directly in the center of the classroom and paid close attention to the teacher to benefit from the lectures.

On many occasions when the teacher would not be present, the students would be chatting and laughing, and the class would be filled with chatter (noise) from all corners of the room. In this time, it was very difficult to study as you would get caught up in the conversations which were very interesting and could not help but laugh along or join in the dialogue.

During the same period, my classmate would be studying detached from this unconducive environment for doing anything productive. At that time, I thought he was missing out on being part of the "fun" in class.

Life went on from grade 8 to grade 9 until a time came when the JSSLE results were officially announced. On the day I went to get my results, I linked up with him as well as other classmates outside the careers master’s office where results were being collected.

 One by one, we entered and left the careers office each with his individual results and varying outcomes expressed through happiness or sadness. However, there was one moment which stood out on that day.  Our classmate with hearing limitation came out of the careers office with a wide smile shaking his head in disbelief. We rushed to look at his results transcript and were impressed as they were by far the best we had seen. As we were busy congratulating him, he couldn't hold back his joy as he screamed out on top of his voice: 

"Oh, I can’t believe this, let me go show my mother!" As he ran off to deliver the news to the most important person in his life.

The classroom (world) is never short of entertainment, trends and gossip which easily catches our attention, and we can't help but join into the different avenues fighting for our attention.

What might help is to be "deaf" to most of the "noise" so you can focus on what truly matters in your life. Because in the end, it’s not knowing “all the conversations” happening in the classroom but the results of your efforts at school, work, business, family, etc. that will truly contribute to your growth and happiness.