Today, I was at AYB's center at Ain Alseera, just like every Friday. Basma had to give her maths lesson, and I was planning to finish some studying and send out some emails (didn't happen). Regardless of all the things that happened today that taught me A LOT, I want to focus on one thing; the annoying group of 8 year olds!
There's a rule that we've set at the center that you can't let kids in unless their teacher is there, or unless you're planning to watch them while they stay at the library.
Basma and Maha just started their classes, and I decided I'll give the center a quick clean up before I start studying.
*knock knock*
I go open the door and find 5 girls, around 8 years old.
With the purest smiles on their faces they greet me. I'm happy to see them! And I ask "Do you have a lesson today? Who's your teacher?"
They reply by saying that they don't have lessons today, "but can we still come inside and we promise to keep quiet"
Based on previous experience, I knew this is so not true! And I really wanted to study, so my reply was "There's no one to stay with you at the library, and I'm busy cleaning the center right now"
"We'll help you clean up, please please!"
I knew that wasn't true as well. We kept arguing for a couple of minutes, with them forcing me to agree at the end that they'll come back in 30 minutes after I finish cleaning up.
Less than 30 minutes later, they knock again at the door. I tell them that I'm still not done. 10 minutes later, they knock again. I decide I'm going to ignore them till I get done, because they never really give up on arguing .. The knocking doesn't stop for 15 more minutes.
Finally, it's quiet! I assumed they gave up and left. I continue cleaning the library room, and suddenly, I see this stick knocking at the window of the room. I take a look and guess what I see? the 5 annoying 8 year olds! They're standing there waving, with happiness all over their faces! They finally got me to talk to them! lol. We argue for a couple of more minutes, and I close the window again.
After a while, I finished cleaning up, and I decided to take the trash bags outside. I open the door, and THERE THEY ARE AGAIN. Oh my God!
They offer to help me reach the big trash dump (that's another whole story to reflect upon) and I agree and walk with them.
They walked with me all the way back again, and now I had no excuse, I finished cleaning up and they know it. They know they're getting in!
I walk inside and find an art class that has just started in the library, so I'm like "phew!" .. "See? there's a class in the library, you can't go in, now can you please leave?"
They kept nagging and nagging, asking me if they can join the art class. I tell them that there's no space for them inside the room. Another 20 minutes of arguing. I start to *really* get annoyed!
A couple of other people at the center helped me get them all outside. And I started complaining about how those kids are annoying!
"They have all the persistence in the world! If only they use it the right way!", I angrily said.
Then, it hit me. They do have all the perseverance in the world, AND they're using it the right way - from their perspective! Getting into the center is what they *really really* wanted, and they almost did it. They tried EVERYTHING. They didn't give up. They argued, knocked on doors, knocked on windows, helped me out, .. they did almost everything that could be done.
They could have given up the first time I told them they can't get in.
They could have given up when I shouted at them a couple of times.
They could have given up when they saw they were really making me angry.
They could have merely given up so as not to waste their time.
A couple of moments later, I felt envious, instead of annoyed. I envy their persistence! I wish I was half as persistent as they are. I would have definitely walked away the first time I was told that I can't get in.
At this moment, I knew I'll always remember this situation for all the times I'm going to decide giving up on something that I *really really* want.
At the end, I'd like to quote Engi Amin from the Educational Program; "We teach them subjects, but they teach us life"
