The following things are random things people have told me over the years. I don't think that the people who said these things actually realise how much it has influenced what I am as a person today...
"Death was hard to deal with - until my dad died. After that, it stopped bothering me..." - Technical Drawing Teacher at High school. I don't even know how that topic came about!
"If your eyes hurt... squeeze some lemon juice into it..." Science teacher in Fiji - I must have been 6 or 7 when I heard that! It was the most ridiculous thing I have heard - but I came home and shared this new found knowledge with my mum. Se called my teacher an idiot... I think her exact words were, "Seriyaana loose-u teacher!"
"I am only asking you act this out because I have never seen you angry." My General Studies teacher, asking me to act out "anger" using symbols and facial expressions. It made me realise how other people saw me.
"You have to finish studying before you get married - once you get married you won't be able to study anymore." My friend's mum while driving me to school. I think about this almost everyday.
"The older you get, the faster it goes." The lab technician at my last lab on how fast the year was progressing. It is sooo true!
"You are a truly beautiful person - outside and inside" A girl I went to school with. It really suprised me, because I hardly knew her! It was just a sweet thing to say.
"Your talk was great! You should consider becomming a lecturer." My professor at Uppsala Unversity, Sweden. I think I decided that I wanted to be a lecturer after that.
"You should become a teacher!" when I was 7, I taught an 8 year old the Hindi script. I remember wanting to become a teacher after that! I still do!
"I think everyone is beautiful in their own way." My 14 year old friend on our way home from school one afternoon. It taught me to look at the good in people.
"She should be encouraged to read lots of literature." My Year 7 English teacher on my report card. I think that single comment is responsible for why I am still reading today!
"Her only fault is that she lacks self-confidence." My Year 7 Art teacher to my dad at Parent-Teacher night. I hated her for saying it, but now I realise that she was probably right.
"I am glad we haven't lost you to medicine!" My supervisor last semester. He was glad that I was going into research rather than medicine - and was slightly dissapointed that I had chosen Medical research over Evolutionary biology...
"Oh! I thought you were in high school!" A 11 year old a few weeks ago - it truly made my day!!!
All I can think of at the moment... Its amazing how much influence most of the above comments have had on me.
I wonder how many times I have said things that have truly changed a person's perception of life and themselves...
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