This might be a difficult post to digest for some. As were in the middle of the Year 4 OSCEs however, I thought that this would be the best time for ALL of us (i.e. every year) to do some OSCE introspection. Every year, Ive pretty much seen the same thing when its come to OSCEs. It wasnt really an issue at first, but as the years have gone by, it seems that this is increasingly becoming more and more of a problem. Exams are a difficult time for everyone. Were stressed. We think we havent done enough. We think that everyone us is way ahead of us. And so in the midst of all this emotional trauma that we go through every year, we can sometimes get a bit selfish. Now dont get me wrong. Im not advocating that people forsake their revision or all of their time, just so they can help other people in their year. What I am advocating is that what little spare time people genuinely do have, they should make sure they devote that to helping others in their year, especially those individuals who wouldnt think twice to reciprocate (or even initiate) their help. That help should be sincere, it should be the kinda help that we would want to receive from someone else. Isnt there a world of difference between someone who says make sure you go over X (or even worse, youll be fine!) and someone who talks you through how X comes up, what points to bear in mind, what mistakes you made, and how you can improve on their mistakes? Isnt there a world of difference between someone who texts you (if that!) two lines and someone who sits down with you for an hour, or speaks to you on the phone for two hours, even when they have other exams to revise for as well? Isnt there a world of difference between someone who just says, Sorry I couldnt help you because of X, Y, Z as opposed to someone who tries their level best to overcome X, Y and Z so that they can help others? Didnt the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, say, None of you will believe until you love for your brother what you love for yourself. When he, peace be upon him, once went into the forest, to get two twigs from a tree to serve as tooth brushes - one which was straight and one which is crooked - he gave the straight one to his companion, though he barely knew him, and kept the crooked one for himself. His companion insisted that the Messenger of God should have the straight one, but the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, refused: One who enjoys someones company even for a short period will be asked on the Day of Judgement whether he discharged his obligations of companionship. How can we profess our love for him when we neither follow his words or his actions? Its perfectly understandable for people to feel like if I help him/her and they do better than me, Im going to feel terrible but know that this thought is from Satan. God says in the Quran: Satan threatens you with the prospect of poverty (in all its forms - time, wealth, grades, status, friends etc.) and commands you to do foul deeds; God promises you His forgiveness and His abundance: God is limitless and all knowing, and He gives wisdom to whoever He will. Whoever is given wisdom has truly been given much good, but only those with insight bear this in mind. Whatever you may give, or vow to give, God knows it well, and those who do wrong will have no one to help them. (2:268-270) God promises us abundance, in this life and the hereafter. So help others, whether they show gratitude or not, whether you feel like it or not, whether you think theyll do better than you or not. Dont be like those who professed friendship for an entire year, only to go MIA on the day of the OSCE, when their help was actually needed. As the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said, God has mercy on those who have mercy on others.
Posted on: Wed, 23 Jul 2014 13:42:53 +0000
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