If Test Had A Voice

Author: Daniel

My name is Test. I am also commonly referred to by others as Exams, Assessments and Trials to name a few. According to the dictionary, I am

a procedure intended to establish the quality, performance, or reliability of something, especially before it is taken into widespread use.

an event or situation that reveals the strength or quality of someone or something by putting them under strain.

I come in various forms throughout your life journey. Sometimes I appear in a circumstantial and situational environment. Most times, I appear in the form of a paper. At least that is how most people would remember me by. Sad but true.

Not many people realise this but I am actually the first friend you make the very moment you are brought into this world. The instant you are successfully delivered from your mother’s womb, the doctor would introduce me to you. He would gently smack your buttocks and hope for you to cry or let out a wail. This is that defining moment, I become friends with everyone of you. This Test, is to ensure that you have a voice. While most of you will succeed, sometimes, some does not.

I am not entitled to have any form of feelings. But if I had, I would like to think that I share many if not all of your life experiences with you.

Whenever I am presented to you, if you successfully conquer me, you would be Joyful and Happy. I would feel proud and challenged too! And I would eagerly set a higher bar for you the next time we meet.

There are times when you feel frustrated and intrigued with me. When you do not give up, I would feel as determined as you do and keep wishing that eventually you would conquer me. If I had a voice, I would constantly be encouraging and cheering for you, Come on! Almost there! Keep trying! You will get it!

The worst feeling I feel is when you get overwhelmed by me and decide to simply give up. I will be sad, I would be heartbroken. And if I had a voice, I would be telling myself if we meet again, hopefully you have learnt to become stronger through that experience.

As life would have it, strangely, most times when we meet again, while you would never realize or appreciate it, I always meet you as a much stronger person, with character.

Either way, my sole intention is to help you grow, to understand yourself better, to become stronger and to make an informed decision based on the strength and quality you possess at that point of time.

In the most recent PSLE exams when I appeared in the form of a Maths Paper, I seemed to have created a National debate in Singapore.

Some parents felt I was too difficult. Others felt I was doing my job. As it is, there are two sides to a coin. My life is no stranger to this controversy. Always.

But nobody knows this better than me.

Belle was one of the many students in this cohort who attempted me. While some questions were a bit challenging to her, she enjoyed our experience thoroughly. She was excited, she went home and was eager to share her experience she had with me to her Parents. She was determined to conquer me even after the Exams.

Aston was another of the many students who attempted me. He had a slightly harder time. I could sense his disappointment and sadness. He looked defeated and he was.

But you know what? If there is anything I am sure, I am absolutely sure that both Belle and Aston would grow and become better through this experience we shared.

While they may grow in different directions, they will always Always ALWAYS get to know themselves better and be a better version of themselves.

You will not always win. The harsh reality of life is unfortunately as such.

Should I always make every single child happy by lowering my standards? Would a child actually benefit from easily conquering me every single time?

I do not think the child would. Joy is derived only after an accomplishment. And one would only understand Joy after defeat and failure. Is that not true?

Imagine me, being presented to everyone who wishes to be a surgical doctor. I cannot be presented as a paper so easy that everyone can conquer me. Then everyone can be a doctor. Would you feel safe to be operated by anyone or everyone? Obviously not. Only the ones who proved themselves worthy through hard work, tenacity, desire and diligence should be that surgical doctor. And only then, if I had a voice, I would say I feel both safe and confident that the best person was going to operate on you.

The same example can be said for a pilot.

Please do not confuse me with emotions of parenthood. Every parent would want the best for their child. I get that. Afterall as I said before, I am probably your only friend that constantly accompanies you in your life journey.

But do you and your child a favour and let me be that friend for your child as I was for you. Let me be that friend who would help your child understand themselves better, become stronger and grow to become a person of character.

Your Dearest Friend,

Test

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