Reflections (4) - Be Smart!

You don't need an education to be smart. The mere fact that you're educated doesn't mean you're smart. Some of the smartest people on earth do not have a formal education; rather they are people with a keen sense of observation. In my little working experience, I've met men and women with little or no formal education, yet very smart. Hence, i get angry when some use their lack of education or exposure to act dumb. One mother brought her critically ill-child to the hospital. Instead of raising the attention of the health workers to the seriousness of her child's condition, she sat down quietly in the waiting queue with the baby covered with a cloth. Before it got to her turn, the baby died in her arms. It was when the health worker on duty was examining the child that she got to know her child was dead. Sad! That's not shyness. She was plain dumb because while she was on the queue with her very sick child, other mothers were drawing attention of the hospital staffs to their children who were not worse of. A smart mother would have been observant and she would have acted to save her baby.

One night i was on call (duty), one very young mother brought her sick child to the hospital. She was not educated, but she was one of the smartest women I've ever met. She came alone with her baby. The husband was not at home, but when she saw the condition of her child, she did not wait. She got some money and brought the child to the hospital. No friend or relative accompanied her, yet in the dead of night she brought her child to the hospital. When i saw this young mother, she showed maturity beyond her years! I was so touched that after admitting the child, instead of just leaving instructions with the night nurse, i stayed with the child for several hours making sure nothing went wrong. Few days later, the child got better and was discharged home. This happened long ago but i remember it so vividly as though it happened yesterday. Nurture a keen sense of observation of your environment and be smart with what you learn. It could be a life-saver.