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Disappointing Moment in My Life

In: English and Literature

Submitted By nawdhpaw
Words 499
Pages 2
Naw Hpaw
Dr. James Sanders
ENG101, 7:00 am
8 June 2016
Disappointing Moment in My Life
Having worked three years as coordinator at the Karen Peace Support Initiative (Burma), a non-government organization that helps resettle displaced persons, I firmly believed I could communicate effectively with grass roots people and my superiors. But, sometimes life is full of disappointment. It came on December 11, 2012, as I sat in my office writing a report on training I had recently completed for some villages. Suddenly, in a very loud voice, my manager called me into his office where he was checking a report I had given him previously. As I stood beside him, his hand clutched a cup of coffee, while the other held my report. I remember the black jacket and shoes, and glasses, he was wearing. After several minutes, he put my report down and exchanged the coffee cup for a bowl of noodle soup. I thought he would explain why he called me, but he said nothing. It became very embarrassing just standing there. Minutes passed and still he didn't speak. Frustrated, I spoke to him politely as possible and asked if there was anything I could do or comment I could make. No response.
As I stood close alongside, it became more difficult to smile. In fact, he began to frighten me, and his strange grin unnerved me, even as he kept eating his noodle soup. It was scary and very embarrassing.
Finally, he spoke. "I need your wholehearted support in carrying out our project," he said, to which I replied, "I know." Then he said, "How many times have you attended report writing training in the past two years?" He answered his question by telling me I had attended only three of the five sessions offered and that's why I was unable to write an acceptable report. As I watched, he tore my report in little pieces.

My mind swirled as I tried to remain polite and calm. I remembered Montaigne’s quote: “Not being able to govern events, I govern myself.” I replied politely, “I am sorry, but my schedules were extremely tight. You asked me to finish the fish breeding training for six villages. In order to finish the projects, I had to miss the last two report training sessions."
The manager’s face crumpled a bit more, as his mouth gave a slight twitch. In a loud and commanding voice, he ordered me to get out of his face. I left his office and shuffled back to my desk.
As I sat in my chair, I gazed out the door with a broken heart, tears running down my cheeks. I had been working hard, I thought, with very few compliments, and now this. It made me think how important it is to be respectful of others and to love them, even as we love and respect ourselves. It reminds me to, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

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