You Make Your Own Reality - Les Brown

One day in 11th grade, I went into a classroom to wait for a friend of mine. When I went into the room, the teacher, Mr.Washington, suddenly appeared and asked me to go to the board to write something, to work something out. I told him that I couldn’t do it. And he said, "Why not?" I said, "Because I’m not one of your students."

He said, "It doesn’t matter. Go to the board anyhow."

I said "I can’t do that."

He said, "Why not?"

And I paused because I was somewhat embarrassed. I said, "Because I’m Educable Mentally Retarded."

He came from behind his desk and he looked at me and he said, "Don’t ever say that again. Someone’s opinion of you does not have to become your reality."

It was a very liberating moment for me. On one hand, I was humiliated because the other students laughed at me. They knew that I was in Special Education. But on the other hand, I was liberated because he began to bring to my attention that I did not have to live within the context of what another person’s view of me was.

And so Mr. Washington became my mentor. Prior to this experience, I had failed twice in school. I was identified as Educable Mentally Retarded in the fifth grade, was put back from the fifth grade into the fourth grade, and failed again, when I was in the eighth grade.

©"The Awakening Ray (July/August 2001) published by The Gnostic Centre, H-401, Som Vihar Apartments, Sangam Marg, New Delhi 110 022. Website: www.gnosticcentre.com. Reprinted with permission

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