Throughout my childhood, I grew up with the careless habit of mishandling my personal belongings. All my efforts then to correct this habit failed, as my possessions would end up misplaced, forgotten in class, or lost.
The act of forgetfulness got the attention of Mr. Charles, our headmaster. After multiple warnings to handle and value my belongings, as I could not buy any of those things at that age, the warnings fell on deaf ears. He decided to implement another method, using a corrector.
It became frustrating to me, as I would often be found in the assembly group as a subject of discussion. A talk that ended with lashes of strokes, as the headmaster believed that discipline through physical punishment was the only way for me to take correction. Flogging was used by him as an everyday reminder.
Even with the pain and humiliation, I couldn't break that negligence. But as the years passed, I grew older. It was not until adulthood that I found meaning in Mr. Charles' words. I woke up from the silver platter where I was no longer taken care of by my parents but in a world where every item I owned was the result of my own effort and hard-earned money.
This realization sent me back to my childhood days with Mr. Charles. I was determined to correct my past. With the knowledge that money is hard to earn and the words of Mr. Charles, I learned the essence of valuing my personal belongings. Learning how to take care of my items left me with a sense of growth and accomplishment.
Looking back on Mr. Charles' discipline, the flogging instilled in me a sense of responsibility and accountability. I understood that it was not the pain of the cane that shaped my life, but the lessons and my choices. My newfound journey of taking care of my belongings has left me with a self-discovery of the worth of all my possessions.