Akram Youth Fear | June 2016 | Akram Youth | Page 14

Stay With the Fearless to Be Fearless

R

aj and his mother were sitting on
a bench in the compound of their
building.
"Mom, please let me revise the method
of solving the problem. It is just a solved
example from our Maths textbook.
Please let me read it.”
"Nothing doing Raj, you have
solved such problems before. It is time to
solve it on your own without the help of
the textbook. Son, you know you are not
allowed to refer to textbooks during the
exam."
"But ma, Maths is not my cup of tea.
How would I know which formula to
apply and where to apply it? I am afraid
that I will not be able to solve the
problem. Ma, at least give me a few
hints.”
"Raj, first read the question
carefully. Then write down the data
provided by the problem. Then think
about which formula you can apply to the

14 | June 2016

problem. After you verify the given data,
focus on what you have to find in the
problem. Enter the data in the formula and
you are ready for the solution! It is easiest
hint, isn't it?" If it was so easy for me when I
was your age, then why is it so difficult for
you? Moreover, if you solve this problem, I
will do for you whatever you like."
"But Ma..!"
Get started, son!"
Raj arrived at the solution of the
problem, after he proceeded exactly as his
mother instructed. It took him about a half
an hour, but his fear of maths was gone.
So now we have in the compound, a
mother who has lost her bet and Raj who is
not afraid of Maths. The punishment for
losing the bet was that Raj's mother had to
learn to ride a bicycle.
"No Raj!” Now she pleaded. “I cannot do it
as I have never tried it before. Look Son, I will
fall and get hurt. I will either crash into the
compound wall and break my
teeth, or break a bone if I lose
control of the bicycle! Your dad
will scold you and there will be
no one to cook food for you."
"Mom, you must always think
positive, and be positive."
To keep her son happy she tried
to ride the bicycle.
After barely pedalling a few
times, she came crashing down
to the ground. Furious, she was
about to quit, when Raj said,
"Ma, if you can help me drive
away my fear of Maths, then