Grown up Child

You have surely heard of the periodic table, haven’t you? It’s the crux of chemistry.. The entire subject fitting into one page! Isn’t that unbelievable?

Every possible element in this world, you can track it in the periodic table.

It’s fun, no doubt. But it is definitely not fun before exams.. Remembering a 100- something elements with their properties, reactions, special chemicals, exceptions to the rule..

I am a great, a very great student. I don’t like mugging up! And there goes my periodic table.. As I don’t remember anything at all during the test!

Well... That day, I had accompanied my father to one conference on ‘periodic table’.. And I had decided to spend the day yawning at the presentations.

I actually heard nothing that took place in the first part of the seminar.

In the second half, a professor goes up to the podium and starts speaking-

″ My presentation is about young people. It’s a bit different but I think you’d enjoy it.. Actually, I made this presentation because a certain person I knew, always called us ‘grown up child’. He was a doctor and he used to treat children as well as young lads like us, way back... I used to complain, I am not a kid anymore, he just smiled. He used to say that everyone is a ‘grown up child’. It is very important to remember that thing while you look at my presentation."

This professor, in his late fifties started from the birth of the universe and travelled every bit of story related to the Periodic Table. It was just amazing.. Superb.

After his presentation was over I went up to him to say that I had loved it all throughout.. I was the only young person in the room, considering that everyone there had to be lecturers and professors.. All old and aged. Incidentally, I told him about my intense fear of forgetting the Periodic table in my exams.. He laughed and said, " You know what? Make friends with colors, you'll know chemistry better! Color the exceptions, a different hue for a different group. Color the similar elements based on what you are studying- you will be able to relate better and stop bothering about remembering!"

I was in awe.

I did that too! And, yes he was absolutely right..

Looking from a child's point of view always seems crazy yet is the simplest approach. The professor taught it to me. A 'grown up child' himself, I suppose he made me a 'grown up child' as well!!