When I was young I had to work along with my other brothers to support my mother and sisters, and in the same time I kept on going to school and tried my best. My brother went to a night school so he can help my mother in the morning with work. My dad was a political prisoner in the evil country called Iraq.We were very poor but were very happy as kids . As long as we saw our mother we forget how tired we were, she was like a christmas to us.
The teacher of our school was a mean Iranian man who always hated the poor and said that God creates the poor to help the rich and to balance earth, as if everyone were rich no one will do the service.I used to reply back , and told him that I was not ashamed to be poor but it is a shame to stay poor , and it is a shame if we do not try to succeed .We must read, learn and get smarter every day as working smarter is much better than just working harder and going nowhere. He used to laugh and call us names ‘ ha I see you and your brother are the sons of the political prisoner ,where did your father smart work got him? any where. you and your brother Sam will never pass high school mark my words no matter how your try. He said.
It was like a dagger in my heart I was so sad deep inside listening to that moran teacher.
At least I am trying , I answered back. your prophet and most other prophets who brought all the great religion were not smart at all , some born with defects , they didn’t finish school and most were poor, but they did great things .I said.
He used to look at me with anger. Many times I used to do my exams and I get low mark from him and I always wondered why, I checked my answers and they were all correct. I used to complain to the principle then they correct my mark and say sorry it was a mistake! He used to give a full grade to his follow Iranian students even when the answer were wrong!
Years passed by and I used to woke up at 4 am to walk 5 kilometer to bring the cheap daily bread to my mother . Later I graduated and went to College and still woke up at 4 am to travel far to my school, and the same thing when I graduated and worked far away from home. Until this day I still woke up at 4 am and leave my home at 5 am drive to tim horton close to where I work in Calgary and go to work at 6,30. I have dome my MSC in Medical ultrasound and my BSc in diagnostic Imaging from Australia, and I earned my PhD in public health from the USA. I had my radiography diploma, Ultrasound diploma and a diploma in natural health from Canada.
I traveled and worked around the world , send most of my money to my parents, sisters and brothers with one condition attached and that was is to use the money for education, schooling, learning and never listen to any stupid man or a woman who tell them you will not make it. All my sisters have got their BSc and Master’s degrees . One became a lawyer, one became a director of statistics , one civil engineer , etc. my brothers also did good and graduated with degrees one was killed by Iranian thugs in Iraq.
Sam my oldest brother who used to go to night school went on and traveled to the USA lived and worked in Texas and graduated from the university of Texas and later passed away in Las Vegas where he used to work ,I buried him in Vegas and I go every year to pay my respect nd clean his grave and remind him of that Stupid Iranian teacher who used to tell us that we will never make it through high school.
After the war In Iraq and the destruction of Iraq by the Iranian thugs that teacher moved to Canada . He is old now but I met him by a chance in one of the functions in Ontario -Canada. I recognized him immediately , he didn’t remember me when I was walking close to him and following him to see what and why this Idiots still a life .
I asked my friend who was with me in that function to help me by walking with me and pretending to have a conversation , and I asked him to be quiet and dont answer back just listen to me while we walk close to that Idiot teacher.
I dont think you can make it at all, your kids will never pass high school because some people meant to be poor and unsuccessful to balance this world and do service to others .I was saying it loud enough so the teacher can hear our conversation.I kept going and spoke my heart out to my friend who was so surprise at me but I kept telling him to be silent. Do you know why , asked my friend.
No why , My friend answer.
Because my teacher ( I mentioned his name ) in Grade 5 told me so back in Iraq.But he was wrong, I Made it and ll my brothers and sisters made it , how I wish to see him one day so I can give him the middle finger.
The teacher immediately turned his face to usa and start to introduce himself and apologize for listening to our conversation . I am so sorry , he said\Why you are sorry! I asked.
Because that teacher you both were talking about was me. It is me Mr ( He mentioned his name ). Wow what a surprise, what a small world , I replied.
How you made it to Canada ? people like you ment to be in Iraq and poison the mind of our brothers and sisters . I said to him.
I am so sorry if I was hard on you , I was wrong and It was not polite or smart things to say to student.He said.
I kept giving him a hard time during the 2 days conference.
So what are you doing here in Canada, I asked .
I am trying to get my Teaching certificate , He said .
I see trying! I said. You should retired , we dont need teachers like you here in this country, I told him. You have a very bad attitude, negative energy ,laziness, unfair marking the test exams and in Canada you will be fired in less than a month .
Dont be harsh on me Steve I need all the support in this time , I made my mistakes and I learned my lesson, he said with sad time.
I was working in one of the hospital Windsor Ontario at that time , One day I got him as a patient in my ultrasound room.He was admitted to the ER unit for Right upper quadrant severe pain . When I did the ultrasound I found that he had severe cholecystitis ( inflamed gallbladder wall , and also gallstones, one of the stone was in his pancreatic duct. First time in my life I felt so happy for a moment . But then I remembered my mother used to tell me always to forget and forgive so God can bless you more. So I did and helped him out , visited him at his bed in the hospital .
While sitting beside him at the hospital bed he hold my hand and said, You are a nice man Steve ,dont let the past haunt you and dont let the anger and hate control your life as did to his life.
Years passed by and I moved from Ontario .I dont know what happened to him and where he is now. I hope he is not teaching our kids.
I always remember some quotations from famous people , some of them are mentioned below
I was raped at the age of 9 yet am one of the most influential women in the world” – *Oprah Winfrey!*
“I didn’t even complete my university education but became the world’s richest man” – *Bill Gates!*
“I was sexually, mentally, emotionally and verbally abused by my father as far back as I can remember until I left home at the age of eighteen yet I am one of the most influential preachers in d world” – *Joyce Meyer!*
“I told my father we would be very wealthy and rich but he couldn’t believe me but today it’s a reality” – *Christiano Ronaldo!*
“I used to serve tea at a shop to support my football training and still became d world best footballer” – *Lionel Messi!*
“I used to sleep on the floor in friends’ rooms, returning Coke bottles for food, money, and getting weekly free meals at a local temple yet founded apple” – *Steve Jobs!*
“I started Living Faith Church from A Lawn Tennis Court with three members only & Preach prosperity. Many of my friends criticised me, but today we have the largest church auditorium in d world & two world-class universities”- *Bishop David Oyedepo!*
“I was in prison for 27 years and still became president.”- *Nelson Mandela!*
“I drove taxi to finance my university education but today I’m a billionaire” – *Mike Adenuga!*
Failures or limitations of the past have no control over the greatness in you. To him that believes, all things are possible. Don’t wait for everybody to believe in your ability and dreams… Never design your life like a Garden where anyone can walk in and out, Design it like the Sky where everyone aspires to reach! Aim high! Reach high. It’s your turn to make impact in your world. You can have your revenge but dont go and be like them , be kind sole , forget and forgive to show them that you are indeed better and greater than them.
Some managers who have said they hire people for their attitude and not for their MBA OR PhD, I told them when they are sick please come and see me and do not go to your doctor . They said but I am not Doctor . I told them but I Have great attitude, isn’t that what you said at your lecture. Oh it is not the same. he said. So next time say what you mean and be careful of what you say to others .
I my self hire people for 3 things ( Attitude , Experience, and Education ) All three must be in the person with different level, and it depends on the job you’re hired them to do. If I want to hire someone who can clean my front yard , I dont care if he has a PhD In landscaping .But if some one with a PHd in landscaping wants to do the job with the same money that I can afford , beacsue he wants to do good with his life I will hire him first. It all depends on the situation at hand and the circumstances, your budget, and case to case scenario, as long as you have a team that work together, pull together, and willing to learn and progress. We can teach technology but we can not teach you attitude.
Steve Ramsey, PhD- Calgary, Alberta- Canada.