On making his discovery, the astronomer had presented it to the International Astronomical Congress, in a great demonstration. But he was in Turkish costume, and so nobody would believe what he said.
Grown-ups are like that . . .
Fortunately, however, for the reputation of Asteroid B-612, a Turkish dictator made a law that his subjects, under pain of death, should change to European costume. So in 1920 the astronomer gave his demonstration all over again, dressed with impressive style and elegance. And this time everybody accepted his report.
I remember giving a lecture at a large conference in Honolulu, at that time I was dressed in a jacket, torn in places, from the Highlands of Vietnam of Hmong people and with my long hair braided and adorned with silver ornaments of the American Indian.
No one listened to me . My topic was the Cultural Aspects of Health Care
Some years later, I gave a similar lecture to a group of doctors in Omaha, Nebraska dressed in a dark suit and fine shoes and the talk shared many of the points I had formulated in Honolulu. This time I was listened to and given accolades..
Can someone remember a similar story from Rabindra Nath Tagore?
If I have told you these details about the asteroid, and made a note of its number for you, it is on account of the grown-ups and their ways. When you tell them that you have made a new friend, they never ask you any questions about essential matters. They never say to you, "What does his voice sound like? What games does he love best? Does he collect butterflies?" Instead, they demand:"How old is he? How many brothers has he? How much does he weigh? How much money does his father make?" Only from these figures do they think they have learned anything about him.
If you were to say to the grown-ups: "I saw a beautiful house made of rosy brick, with geraniums in the windows and doves on the roof," they would not be able to get any idea of that house at all. You would have to say to them: "I saw a house that cost $20,000." Then they would exclaim: "Oh, what a pretty house that is!"
Just so, you might say to them: "The proof that the little prince existed is that he was charming, that he laughed, and that he was looking for a sheep. If anybody wants a sheep, that is a proof that he exists." And what good would it do to tell them that? They would shrug their shoulders, and treat you like a child. But if you said to them: "The planet he came from is Asteroid B-612," then they would be convinced, and leave you in peace from their questions.
The above is an episode from the famous book The Little Prince an eternal children's book written for adults.
The adults always want to know how much things cost or how much a person is worth, not the quality of the person.
American Indians on the other hand, are very qualitative, when they meet you, they do not ask mundane questions like Where did you study Medicine? But may ask, are you a father or brother or son ? Once I was asked, Do your people dream ? and another patient of mine was very content with my answer: In what language do you pray, he asked very seriously and when I said we pray in our language, he was very happy.
Whenever I hear people quoting the price of things, I know that they do not value things , that might include you also. Good friends are going to emphasize your qualities and as my very good friend ES in Melbourne said one day:
You bring your friends closer to their dreams..
That is how I measure success and not by position nor wealth.
Modesty of a medical professional was demonstrated by an incident when Sir Zachary Cope, one of the best known physician of his time in England, arrived to check on a patient and when the nursing sister, who did not recognize him, asked him to wait in the ante room, he patiently did until some one rescued him.
Many of the modern doctors would have bellowed out, if a ward nurse refused them admission, Do you know who I am?
An awful person, I would say.
I remember well what the elder of the UmonHon tribe, a Mr Blackbird said to me :
It is a good person that becomes a good doctor.
