I was thrown out of my boarding school between Form 4 and Form 5, which means I one of the most important exam to get my high school diploma and get a good future, known as Malaysian Education Certificate or SPM. I had to go to a public school and my mom supervised me everyday as I was diagnosed by the psychiatrist as 'Without Remorse', to borrow a Tom Clancy fiction's title. Great huh... It defined me with this 2 words.
For the past 2 weeks, I was revisited with this revelation a few times as I met old friends from that boarding school. Once after I was giving a talk on how to be an entrepeneur to a bunch of university students and another one is when one friend posted a picture in Facebook which I participate in a discussion.
In the first instance, we were surrounded by our spouse and in my friend's case, his small children. We talked about how naughty we were in school and then the question came, when did each of us leave school as we know both of us did not graduate from the boarding school. Our mind were hazy as we left school in 1991. My wife knew of my 'crime' but we did not really delved into what I did to get me thrown out.
The talk
Then, 2 days ago, the other occurance happened in cyberworld, when someone posted a picture and the comments below it became lenghty. I joined in. I commented that I was thrown out from that school. A friend who left way earlier due to his parents moving outside the country asked how come as he said, I look successful nowadays. I tried to be modest and said it was just appearance.
Out of curiosity, does what you did in those years really affect your life now? I was naughty then and so were a lot of my friends then. Some have become accountants, magistrates, lawyers, prosecutors, doctors, engineers and businesspersons. Some are artistes, writers and civil servants. And what happened then seems to be a thing of the past. But we revisit it on our children again and again...
Fair? Hmmm.....
4 comments:
I don't know that childhood events really have a great effect on our adult lives, but our personalities never change much. The fact that you did things to get you thrown out of a school may be the same personality traits that gave you what it takes to be a lawyer.
It depends, I still carry my high school life with me inside, the experiences then fuel me for each coming storm that I have to pass through in life.
Everyone makes mistake though that they have to pay for, the only difference is, whether we can handle it in a way that makes us better people.
I can't say that I was the best of the bunch, but I can say I was the most invisible of the bunch in high school. Which meant whatever I did, people never remember. A trait well made use off because I knew I could get away with what I did.
This is an excellent observation. When it boils down to it, education is over rated. I believe our success is determined by our drive and determination, not the number of years we spent in school or what type of school we attended. I see that evidenced in my husband and also many good friends.
Ratty - That's a big MAYBE
Kamigoroshi - I think everyone goes through this phase
Tina - I agree with you
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