Safety Class

If you could erase one event from history, what would it be?

“O son of Kunti, the contact between the senses and the sense objects gives rise to feelings of heat and cold, pleasure and pain. They come and go; they are impermanent. Therefore, endure them.” — Bhagavad Gita 2.14

If I could erase one event from history, I would erase the day of the sleepiness event.I remembered that class again and began asking myself: Where was this feeling really coming from? Everyone else seemed unaffected, yet I became unusually sensitive.

I was seated in front while another lecturer sat behind me. I felt that his presence, his behaviour, and the heavy gust of air around me contributed to my sudden sleepiness. More importantly, he did not seem willing to let certain students ask questions.That was what disturbed me most.

A classroom should be a place where curiosity is welcomed. A lecturer should encourage people to raise their hands, challenge ideas, and ask questions without fear. Instead of allowing insecurity to control the room, he could have turned the class into a place where everyone felt free to learn.

I gave him a lower mark—not because I wanted revenge, but because I was judging the experience I received as a student. To me, the real failure was not the sleepiness itself; it was creating an environment where questions felt unwelcome.

If I could rewrite that moment, I would sponsor a free class where everyone is encouraged to ask questions. No intimidation. No insecurity. No silencing. Just learning.

Perhaps that would be the greatest lesson of all: sometimes the person who receives the lowest score teaches us the importance of creating a better classroom.

And I would walk away from the experience without carrying his insecurity with me.

“Let a man lift himself by himself; let him not lower himself, for the self alone is the friend of oneself, and the self alone is the enemy of oneself.” — Bhagavad Gita 6.5