The Humility of Learning

In the labyrinth of life, we often encounter people who leave an indelible mark on our souls, not through grand gestures, but through simple, profound wisdom. This is a story of one such lesson I learned from a friend during my college days, a lesson about the power of humility and the unyielding pursuit of knowledge.

Back in those days, I shared a hostel room with two other students. One of them, let's call him M.A., had a stammering problem. Speaking for him was a challenge; he struggled to articulate sentences without stammering. Despite this, M.A. was one of the kindest souls I had ever met—always ready to help, always eager to learn.

The other roommate, however, was quite different. He was academically gifted, but unfortunately, he had a habit of making fun of M.A.’s stammer. It pained me to see M.A. being ridiculed, especially because he did nothing to deserve such treatment. Yet, what baffled me even more was how M.A. would still approach this roommate with his academic doubts. Despite the mockery, M.A. would go to him for help, asking questions and seeking clarification.

One day, unable to contain my frustration, I confronted M.A. “Why do you keep going to him for help? He doesn’t respect you; he makes fun of your stammer. You could ask someone else or even figure things out on your own. Why put yourself through that?”

M.A. looked at me with a calm demeanor and said something that I will never forget. He told me about a piece of advice his father had given him. “My dad always told me that to gain knowledge, you must go to whatever extent necessary. It doesn’t matter if people make fun of you or don’t treat you well. If they have knowledge that you need, you should go to them and get it.”

Those words struck me deeply. Here was a person who was willing to set aside his pride and endure humiliation, all for the sake of learning. M.A. understood something that many of us often overlook—that knowledge, in all its forms, is precious, and the pursuit of it should not be hindered by ego or the behavior of others.

His wisdom didn’t just teach me about the value of knowledge; it taught me about humility. In our early or mid-career phases, it’s easy to let pride get in the way of learning, especially when the source of that knowledge is someone we might not respect or someone we perceive as beneath us. But M.A. showed me that true learning requires us to be open, curious, and willing to seek knowledge from anyone who has something to teach. It is through this openness that we grow, not just in intellect but also as human beings.

From that day on, I carried M.A.’s lesson with me. It reminded me that everyone we meet has something to teach us, and it’s up to us to recognize and seize those opportunities. So, whenever you find yourself in a position to learn, do it. It doesn’t matter who the teacher is or what the circumstances are. What matters is the knowledge you gain and how it shapes you.

M.A. may have had a stammer, but he spoke volumes of wisdom, and for that, I am forever grateful.