Dear Forum members and readers,
First of all, to those men and women who cleared the written exam of CSS 2016, please accept my deepest felicitations and congratulations on your tremendous success. You are among the 2 percent people who made it to the other end. Imagine the magnitude of that achievement. MASHALLAH
But, to my warrior brothers and sisters who like me, were unsuccessful, I would extend even warmer wishes. Here is why.
I recently joined Aikido classes. Aikido is an ancient Japanese form of martial arts and the word literally translates to ‘the Art of Peace’. The first time I attended the class, I was thoroughly beaten. The instructors throw you on the ground repeatedly, teach you how to take a fist, twist your joints and stretch you beyond average human flexibility. I decided I will never come back.
But I was there again the next session. And the next. And the next. Gradually, I began to enjoy the physical pain and started associating it with achievement. I got better at it. I could defend against a punch, I could handle an attacker, I could stand up for myself. My pain tolerance went up. I had learnt the basics of the Art.
It was in one of these Aikido classes, that the Japanese instructor told us what we are learning is not some form of self-defense but it is the art of living. It is how life operates. Life will throw you down repeatedly, pummel you with fists, beat you to your knees, pick you up again only to throw you harder. Life is merciless and so is learning. Both are extremely painful, irrespective of your race, color, creed, gender and social status.
But it is your ability to take those blows and stand every time. The more you get beaten up, the better you become at it, until there comes a point when you master it. When you begin enjoying the pain of what others called ‘failure’. Only after 99 failures is success. Too bad, the world only sees that one success and easily assumes those 99 failures never existed. The greater your level of success, the harder your previous life has probably been.
Today marks the second time the system beat me to my knees. I will not lie. It hurt like anything. I scored 710 marks last time and 738 marks this time (excluding failed subject). They failed me in a subject I had learnt for three years.
Awarded me 90 in environmental science and 17 in Town planning, which is a part of environmental engineering.
Let us not label this as a failure. You all are stronger than the average. Because you voluntarily went in to get beaten, took the beating, came out and survived. You are role models. I am proud we have such motivated youth in the country. Pakistan is on a crossroads today, I’m sure you’d know. This exam does not determine whether you’d contribute to national development or not. There are barriers to conquer. The country needs you, the people need you, the world looks up to you. So get up again to fight back. You and I can do it, if not the CSS way, than some other way. If Sana Safinaz could launch an international brand from their garage and if Eidhi could get a 21 gun salute without CSS and without any foreign degree, why can’t we?
It hurts me to post my DMC here, but I just wish to show you all that learning is painful.
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