Status Consciousness

Last few weeks, when I was in the varsity, I had a terrible stomachache. As the ground floor's toilet was full, I went up to the first floor only to find that the toilet's door was broken. So, I went up to the second floor. I found a good place to do my "business". While I was washing my hands, a lecturer came in. She looked at me despicably.

"Are you a student?" she asked.
"Yes," I answered as I took my tumbler and put the sling on my shoulder.
"You're not supposed to use this toilet," she said.
"But the toilet downstairs are full," I answered softly.
"Full?" She asked unbelievingly and continued, "Don't use this toilet the next time."
I nodded, embarrassed for being reprimanded and walked away.

It was after all, a TOILET!

To me, a toilet is a toilet. It's for people to wee or pass motion. But to the lecturer, it's THE LECTURERS' TOILET and could ONLY be used by lecturers. That's the difference.

I learned that when you've reached a certain status in the society, you'll want people to think and speak to you differently. Don't say, "Nah...it's only for the ignorant." It's not. When you're an Executive, you'd want your clerk to obey your command and when you're a Manager, you'd want your Executive, clerks, typist, secretary, etc. to obey your command and be at your mercy at all time.

This is our culture. The culture of third-class mentality. There would not be equality. Even a toilet is differentiated between those for the lecturers and those for the students. There's absolutely no FRIENDSHIP between a lecturer and a student. It's all a matter of teaching and learning.

It's a sad case to find. I always wanted my students to treat me like their friends. I don't mind to listen to their problems or ask them come to my house or make jokes with them as long as they're learning.

Maybe I don't feel the gap because I'm just a normal teacher, a lowly teacher without any high qualification (only degree, ok?). My mom said that if I managed to get to the doctorate level, I would think differently. I would want my students to respect and READ my work and write them in their own work. So, if you've finished a doctorate, you'll want people to greet you as Doctor. No more Mr / Ms /Madam. You'll want be glamourous. That's status and that's what makes the society today! Going after something. The more the better. The more the merrier.

I could only pray to God that He humbles me and let me always think of the underprivileged. May His wisdom come upon me and the Holy Spirit lives in me so that I will not for ONE DAY think I'm any superior than the rest of His creation...because I'm only a human, who will waste away and die like any others. I want people to remember me as someone loving, kind and tender rather than a grumpy lady that no one likes. When you leave, history remains...