Of a Schoolboy On Ritalin

Mr. Jones, a third-grade schoolteacher in the 90s once set an appointment with the parents of a highly unruly and inattentive student in a last-ditch effort to prevent the child's impending expulsion. Attending the meeting were the principal and school therapist as well, who all pressed upon the parents the immediate need for their son to be administered Ritalin in order to curb his ADHD, and as his only recourse to remain in school. In a thoughtful gesture, the teacher gave the boy access to the faculty coffee lounge to store the medicine- under the pretense of teacher's ‘designated coffee boy’ to avoid the stigma that came with taking stimulant meds in the 90s. So every morning during first period, the teacher would ask the boy to make him a cup of coffee. His classmates were completely unsuspecting, and after just one week the meds were in in full effect. The boy was more attentive in every single subject, and his outbursts had become almost nonexistent. Relieved that their son’s future was no longer in jeopardy, the parents brought him along to a follow-up meeting with the faculty to let him hear shared praise over his progress. They all sat down in the principal’s office, and to lighten the mood, the boy’s dad quipped: “So son, how many sugars does Mr. Jones take in his coffee?” to which the boy grinned, “Just one cube of sugar and one round pill mixed in every morning.” 

Perspective shapes our understanding, and intelligence takes many forms. Each person learns and grows at their own pace, passing through different phases with unique challenges and strengths. If we fail to be patient enough to recognize the virtues hidden within flaws, perhaps the limitation lies not in the flaw itself, but in our own ability to see beyond it- and for that, Ritalin may help :)