THE EDITOR, Sir:
THROUGHOUT JESUS' ministry on earth He used parables to impart lessons to His avid followers and listeners. I'm sure if He were around today He would tell this one.
'And it came to pass that ten teenagers went on a lifelong journey through the land of wood and water called Jamaica. And as they traveled they came upon a crossroads called 'Career Option'. At this crossroads there were four individuals - A DJ, a politician, a footballer, and a teacher. All had signs on them which said, 'Follow me'.
And it came to pass that four teens followed the DJ, two the politician, three the footballer and one reluctantly followed the teacher. Seeing this the teacher sat by the road beneath the heat of the day and wept bitterly.
And the Lord heard her cry and asked why the crying. The teacher told Him that after dedicating so much of her life to educating others she was ashamed to see the flock that followed her.
And the Lord took the teacher to the edge of reality, pulled the veil of ignorance and showed her the grass in the other pastures. Theirs was green, hers brown. The DJ cuts tunes about slackness and earns millions, owns cars, has houses. The politician wastes taxpayers' hard-earned cash, defrauds the people, drives pajeros, visits doctors in Miami, sends his children to elite schools, gets monuments made in his honour and retires with a fat pocket.
The footballer on the other hand got a national holiday when he went to France; he got a car and land for scoring goals, and he got a state funeral after being killed while speeding.
The teacher slowly turned to see what she really knew was on her side of the fence. There was work from 9-5, indiscipline in the classroom, harassment, stress, no collateral to get a loan to purchase a car, no loan from NHT (National Housing Trust) because she was not qualified for a loan. At the end of her allotted years in the classroom she was pushed out and sent to impose on others on a measly pension until she was forgotten.
As the reality sank in, the teacher turned and told her lone follower to take another road. As the story would have ended, I would have turned to the Lord for the interpretation. I am sure this would have been His answer:
The Jamaican society no longer has regards for those who educate or impart knowledge to the nation but they hold high those who earn big bucks at whatever cost.
I am, etc.,
BARBARA KINGTON
Sheffield, Westmoreland
E-mail:
barbara_e_kington2001@yahoo.com
Via Go-Jamaica
