A Special Day

At lunch, I was seated next to a man and a teenage boy in school uniform. The tables were close and I could hear the boy, who was crestfallen, explaining something he did which was not up to mark or which did not work. The man could be his father. My food came. I tried to concentrate on eating my lunch but the boy seemed emotional. At this point, from how the boy was addressing the man, I realised the man could be his teacher. There was silence for while. Then the man started speaking in a steady voice. What he said made me look up. “No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you’re still way ahead of everyone who isn’t trying.” As I was leaving the restaurant, I remembered today is a special day. Happy Teacher’s Day!