The Last Bench Girl: A Story of Self-Love - Fuel for the life Journey

                                “ Sunday Stories: The Success Secrets of Extraordinary”

Riya always sat on the last bench.

Not because she was a troublemaker but because she wanted to. It was easier to be invisible back there. No one asked her questions, no one noticed her uneven haircut or her second-hand uniform. She didn’t have the latest water bottle or expensive gel pens. And she definitely wasn’t the type to raise her hand.

Her teachers called her “quiet.” Her classmates called her “weird.”

She called herself "nothing special."

Until one day, Ms. Hema, the new English teacher, walked into class with an unusual assignment.

“Write a letter,” she said, “to the person who deserves your kindness the most.”

Everyone began writing—to their mothers, siblings, best friends. Riya just stared at her paper. Who deserved her kindness? She stared thinking deeply. 

Everyone was rude to her ... in one or other way. Including she her self. She was always forgetting homework, always too slow, always too quiet.

Ms. Hema noticed.

After class, she gently sat beside her and said,

“You know, sometimes we forget that we also deserve kindness—from ourselves most of all.”

 That night, Riya went home and tried again. Truly for first time...

She wrote slowly:

“Dear Me,
I know you feel like you're not good enough. But you try every day, even when it’s hard. You care. You notice small things. You don’t need to be loud to matter.
I’m proud of you.
—Riya”

She didn’t show it to anyone. But she carried that letter in her notebook like a secret anchor.

From then on, something small changed.

She began tying her hair a little neater—not for anyone, just for herself. She read aloud in class— without shaking. She even smiled when a classmate complimented her handwriting.

It wasn’t a sudden transformation. It was slow, uneven, and very real.

The other students didn’t suddenly make her popular—but some began sitting near her. One even asked for her help with a diagram. Ms. Hema noticed her more, leaving encouraging notes and inviting her to lead a small group during a reading session.

Riya began to enjoy her time in class, showing genuine interest in everything happening around her. She started understanding the concepts taught, and when something wasn’t clear, she confidently sought help from others to learn better.

One day, near the end of the year, Riya found a younger girl crying in the bathroom. The girl’s pencil case had broken, and through her tears she whispered, “I’m useless.”

Riya hesitated for a moment—remembering the days she had felt invisible and unsure—but then knelt beside her. She handed the girl a tissue and said gently,

“You’re not useless. Everyone has bad days. This one will pass.”

The girl sniffled and nodded, holding the tissue tight. As Riya walked back to class, she realised something important: she wasn’t just learning in school anymore—she was helping someone else feel seen, just like Ms. Hema had done for her.

And this time, Riya didn’t choose the last bench. She took her seat right in the middle of the room.

Moral:

Self-love doesn’t make you arrogant.
It makes you brave enough to show up, speak up, and stand tall—even when no one’s cheering.

🌱 Reflection Note 🌱

For Parents:-

Your child’s inner voice is shaped by your words. Encourage their efforts, not just their results. Let them know they are enough, just as they are.

For Teachers:-

Every quiet child carries untold potential. A little patience, a kind word, and a moment of belief can help them see their own worth.

🌟 Champing Note 🌟

Encouragement is Contagious — Pass it On.

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