“You have failed again!” said Saad’s father as he held the report card in his hand.

He was furious at Saad as he had failed his exams for the second time. Like always, Saad gave all the lame reasons to defend himself: “The questions were difficult,” “My head was aching,” “I lost my notes,” etc.

Suhail, Saad’s elder brother, however, had secured a good position in the class. As much as he felt sorry for his younger brother, he was concerned too and wanted to convince him to study hard like him. So, he decided to go for a walk with Saad in the evening.

Saad thought his brother would take him to the cinema, or ice cream parlour, or a burger joint, but Suhail’s plan was different. As they walked and crossed all his favourite places, Saad got curious and anxious. Then, they stopped. Suhail pointed at a boy who was selling balloons at the signal.

“Look at this boy, Saad. Do you think he goes to school?”

“No, how can he go to school? He is so poor,” answered Saad.

But he felt numbed when Suhail revealed that the boy who was selling balloon goes to school. He told that not only does he study, but gets good grades too, despite so many limitations and problems in his life.

While Saad was astonished, Suhail further revealed that he sells balloons to buy books and stationery, and walked to school. He added that he studies on his own without anyone’s help.

Saad couldn’t understand why his brother was telling him all this. Suhail further explained, “Saad, the purpose of telling you all this is to make you realise how different your life is as compared to his. You have a tutor who comes daily to teach you and help you in your studies. You don’t have to stand at a signal to sell balloons as papa pays for everything you ask for. You have expensive gadgets with the help of which you can get a world of information and improve your knowledge.

“Also, you don’t have to exert yourself to go to school as you come and go in your own car. Your life is much easier than his, but still you don’t pay attention to your studies, squander time and disappoint us every year.”

Saad was embarrassed. Suhail knew that he had made his brother realise how blessed and fortunate he was, and that he must take his studies seriously to succeed. Besides, Saad had also learnt a lesson from the hard work of the balloon boy.

Published in Dawn, Young World, June 4th, 2016