The Best Teachers

        I give off vibes of being a misanthrope to people within my circle, and weirdly enough, one thing I like about this world is its very people. There are all kinds, no doubt, and it really is unfair that I place hatred towards an entire species. That was my 15 - year - old "logic." With time and age, while still questioning my exact purpose and point of existence, which I have now thankfully found, I also fully realised other people's. We all have a universal, worldly purpose; to teach and learn.

    Having lived in four countries in my life and going to international schools, I didn't realise how lucky I truly was to live and learn in a very diverse environment. I didn't have the curiosity to explore the many different types of people I was always surrounded with. It was only at the end of high school that I truly realise the one thing great about people; the lessons they teach you. 

    Though high school wasn't personally the best experience for me, I learned so many things beyond the classroom because of the many people I was with, teachers and students alike. I became aware of many of the issues facing this world just by sitting down with a classmate during lunch breaks. We have become close friends now to this day, and still, we both teach each other of the many plights in this world. I learned about the history, culture and conflicts of Yemen, which is where most of the people in my school were from. I learned about how unfairly my friends and teachers, who are foreigners, are treated in this country and just how privileged I am to be a local. From a very wise teacher, I learned about the many lessons you would learn once reaching adulthood and the kind of hardships and responsibilities you would have. 

    I went through an unhealthy period of time in my life where I was consuming the news too much. It affected me in a very negative manner, and you could just see it on my face or the way I'd talk, but it didn't occur to me that the people who act unjustly also teach you a lesson. As a Muslim, I learned of Prophet Musa and the Pharaoh, who was the worst dictator. People would often think Prophet Musa had more to teach people in his story, and he did, but people often forget that the Pharaoh did, too. He served as a reminder that people in this world can be as unjust, arrogant and horrible as they could, but it wouldn't go unpunished, unnoticed or unforgotten. For every criminal and dictator that has walked this planet and done their dirty work, they have taught people how to improve in choosing the kind of leaders that's best for them. The Black Lives Matter movement has encouraged a greater number of American adults to vote for a better president. This COVID - 19 pandemic has truly exposed just how much every government cares about their people, and the kinds of improvements their countries need. 

In the end, everyone, good or bad, whether we know them or not, really do serve a purpose in this world. The best teachers are us; the very people in this world.