I WISH YOU WERE DEAD

 In general, we all have a feeling that children coming from an economically weaker section are easily susceptible to violence as they had to struggle for the smallest things in life.  But in a shocking revelation, it is found in the percent generation of kids who are brought up in an affluent environment with all the privileges   are exhibiting unbelievable of violence and this is becoming a real challenge for the school teachers. This story of Shiva is one of this.

Shakthi and Shiva were twins and were studying n the 8th standard of our school.  Though both of them were twins they were poles apart in their behaviour and attitude. Shiva was impulsive, short tempered but Shakthi was

calm, soft-spoken. In spite of his impulsive nature, Shiva was a brilliant boy. Every year we won elocution, Science quiz, Mathematics quiz etc and won cups for the school. All the teachers just loved him. As Shakthi was just average in studies and she always needed the help of her brother for her home works.  When Shiva helped his sister in the recess some more girls use to flock around him to learn from him.  Three months after the school had started a new boy Akash joined their school. His father was a well-known scientist and his mother was a chemistry professor. Right from childhood both of them had taken the pain to educate him beyond the school studies. So at that young age, he was too good in all subjects. In a short time, he became the star of the class. All the teachers now selected only Akash for all the competition for which Shiva was sent earlier.

The short-tempered Shiva became highly annoyed that he was pushed to the second position. He even appealed to some teacher that he should be allowed for the competition. But the teacher in charge said that the school would definitely win if Akash participates instead of Shiva as he is brighter. Anger smouldered in the heart of Shiva day after day. The worst thing was now Shakti also started clearing his doubts from Akash and all her friends followed her. On reaching the home that day Shiva had a big fight with his sister. He shouted “You are shameless to go and ask another boy in the class when you have you own brother to teach you” Shakthi did not understand the anger of his brother. She answered innocently, “ Shiva, Akash is teaching simple easy methods which I can easily understand.  You explain very fast and I find it difficult to

understand. But he teaches slowly. In fact, he is teaching better than you” Before she finished the sentence Shiva pounced on her and started hitting her and she started screaming. Their mother heard the commotion and came running and separated both her kids.  She listened to both of the and finally said to her son.”Shiva, you have to ashamed of yourself. You are hitting your own sister! If that boy is teaching her well what is your problem? In that free time, you can read for your exam. Anyway, I won’t tolerate you hitting Shakthi.  From today you cannot get I Pad for a week. That is your punishment” She took the I Pad of Shiva and went away.That night Shiva could not sleep at all.

Not only the school had insulted him even his sister and mother are making fun of him. The more he thought the more his anger fumed inside him. Finally, his devil mind thought of a plan. He said to himself.  “If I could take away Akash from my class then everything will be solved. But how” All the horror games he played in the I Pad where the bad man is pushed over the cliff came to his mind.  He decided on his plan.

Next day in the recess he approached Akash and told him that he wanted to get some doubts cleared and if Akash could wait after the school and teaches him. Akash, unaware of the devil in Siva’s mind readily agreed.  After the school, Shiva told his sister to away home as he was going learn some maths from Akash. All the Students left the class and only Shiva and Akash were only in the class.  They study for half an hour.

Then Shiva said, “Thank you Akash, you were such a help, Come let us go home” In a friendly way he put his hand around Akash’s shoulder and they started walking out of the class. Their class was on the first floor. When they just came to the staircase, Shiva pulled Akash violently by the caller and screamed, “You proud headed dog. You had made my life miserable.   I want you dead just now then only I will have peace of mind” Akash was a thin and frail boy and he shivered at the anger of Shiva. As he stared at him with a shocked expression Shiva pushed Akash down the stairs. A screaming Akash started rolling head along and would have smashed his head at the last landing. But as a miracle, four well-built boys of the tenth standard who had stayed back in the playground unexpectedly were coming up running. As they saw Akash rolling they jumped the caught him from falling before he reached the third step.

 Akash escaped with a few bruises. A stunned Shiva now stood frightened that all the grown up boys looked at him with suspicion and asked: “Hey, you, how did this boy fall when you are standing there?”They came up and stood around him and held his shoulder tight. By the time some teachers sitting in the staff room heard the commotion and came out. Shiva was once too frightened to talk. To his surprise, Akash got up and brushing off the dust from his shirt said “Madam we two were talking and I turned to say something to Shiva and I missed the step and rolled down. It is my mistake” Shiva stood with head hung in shame while Akash called him to come to Shiva let us go home”

Shiva confessed everything to his mother and she was too shocked. She said, “If Akash was not saved and hurt badly or had died you would have spent your whole life in correction school. Both of your life would have doomed” Later with her fried’s she send Shiva for counseling for anger management.

Children in our nuclear family are brought up in too much of comfort. Parents without one-second hesitation get them whatever they demanded. The children had long forgotten to share and care. Thus they flare up even is the smallest thing is not satisfied.   Many occasions I had seen in the playground of the poshest locality children hitting each other violently with whatever they have in their hand. Secondly, the games they play in their I-Pad or computer is also based on violence, killing, hitting is while they have to do to win.

Now it becomes the increased responsibility of both the parents and teacher to teach children the basic elements of kindness, sympathy, and caring. The parents can take their children once in a while to orphanage etc and make them donate their books or toys so that they will understand the value of sharing. Don’t yield to child’s every demand.  Restrict the streak of violence even from childhood.

The school also have the responsibility to cultivate to share and care for each other.  Instead of aiming in just winning the trophy for school and concentrating only on one boy, they should allow maximum participation of the students so that everyone would get a chance.  Instead of a single boy winning the elocution or science quiz a group of boys from school can take part and total points could be taken for the winning.

Very surprisingly violence and anger is now taken as one’s power by the younger generation, and it is only in our hands to take care of the future of our country.

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