My mother was one of the most patient people I knew...and the most amazing of teachers. Married at the age of 16, Ma didn't have the opportunity to finish her college education. She had been a brilliant student in school, excelling in mathematics and languages. In college, in the last math exam she took, she scored a 50 out of a total of 100. She had been able to prepare only 50% of the syllabus after her marriage, unable to attend any more classes. With the encouragement of

Many years ago, on one of my visits to Sunday Book Bazaar, I picked up a book and asked the bookseller the price. He replied rudely, asking if I was serious about purchasing the book or was just wasting his time. Upset at his rudeness, I put the book down without another word and walked a few steps down the road. I stopped at another bookseller, spent some time browsing through his collection, picked up a couple of books, and after a bit of bargaining, handed over the money t