Ravi never liked mathematics. He was good at science and Hindi, but the moment he opened his math notebook, his head would start spinning. One day, the teacher assigned a particularly difficult problem for homework. Just looking at it made Ravi uneasy.
After reaching home, he opened his notebook and read the question. It was so long and complicated that it felt like stepping into a world of riddles. He picked up his pencil, then put it down again. He thought he should rest for a while before attempting it.
After spending some time on his phone, he returned to his notebook. This time, he read the question aloud twice. The equation had many steps, and each step looked like a new mountain to climb. He tried to calculate in his head but soon got confused.
Ravi asked his younger brother, “Do you understand math?” His brother quickly replied, “No, I only read storybooks.” Then Ravi went to his neighbor’s elder sister for help, but she said she was busy finishing her own work.
Now Ravi was on his own. He made up his mind that no matter how long it took, he would solve the problem that day. First, he carefully wrote down all the given data. Then he tried to understand each step slowly and patiently. He made several mistakes, erased them, and started again.
After nearly an hour, Ravi truly felt exhausted. The math problem seemed like a magical puzzle. But suddenly, he remembered a method his teacher had explained in class.
He applied that same method, and within minutes, he found the correct answer. Ravi jumped with joy and felt proud of his hard work.
The next day at school, the teacher smiled while checking his notebook and said that Ravi had written the correct solution. That day, Ravi learned an important lesson: never be afraid of a difficult problem. With patience and determination, even the toughest challenge can turn into your greatest victory
RAJEEV VERMA 