I Was Not Dumb
A Child’s Journey Into Overcoming High Myopia, Maths, and A Broken IQ Test
The Lowest IQ Kid
“We have found the lowest IQ kid” declared the invigilator with a loud laugh. I had just turned 10, had failed my Maths paper in the mid-terms, and was attempting to answer for an IQ test my school had organized for everyone. The invigilator came to me and said, “I am sorry but looking at your answer sheet, you are really dumb”. I felt shattered on the inside. It happened too fast. In the hindsight, I am amazed at my courage that I did not cry.
Four years later I was being applauded in the school assembly for having scored a 100% in the Maths paper and topping the class. Today I am a scientist researching Quantum Mechanics and Chemistry. What changed?
An Empathic Doctor
The most important event was a double parasitic infection a few days after the IQ test. A very friendly doctor examined me. He got me talking and I told him that I had a low IQ. He talked about cricket, and I went on for quite a few minutes about metrics such as batting average and strike rates.
The doctor told me that do not have a low IQ son and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
He asked me something about a calendar in his office but I could not see it. So the doctor suggested that we must visit an eye doctor. An eye doctor? But it was my stomach that hurt a lot.
The Bewildered Optician
The optician was elated and amazed: “How were you seeing anything, dear boy??? In my 20 years career, I have never given -6 D as a starting power to ANYONE.”
I cannot explain what I was feeling then. I could see those far-away trees! Wow!
I still get goosebumps, remembering that moment. A serene clarity dawned on me, one that guides me to this day.
I had suspicions about my vision but never took it too seriously (was 10 you know). Now I was literally seeing the world with a new lens; well a pair of lenses.
The World Through A New Pair of Glasses
The damage was done, both to my eyes and my confidence. In the hindsight, I can blame people, society, the broken medical system, the school, and myself. But somehow I don’t.
Somehow these hardships also gave me a balanced foundation, that I have built myself upon: grit, clarity and courage.
Being able to see better helped me listen and understand better in class.
Stay tuned for more…
But the journey to getting better at Maths at school, and later pursuing a research career at the intersection of Quantum mechanics and chemistry, did not just come with a correction of myopia. There is more.
See, kids get hurt fast and easily. Healing of some subtle damages can take beyond a lifetime. And somewhere we are all that “10 year old kid”, who is old enough to aspire conquering the world but is a little bit scared. A kid who is too old to ask for a finger to hold but seeks validation from those he/she looks up to.
These stories are fuelled by my desire to express and fly on my hope to help and inspire others. I have recently started to pen down some stories from my life. I will share more about my pursuit in follow-up stories. To hear more you can follow me here and on LinkedIn, and let us stay connected.
Here are some of my other stories that you might like: