My elder brother blurted out that he entertained thoughts of committing suicide after he received an undesirable grade for English in his O Level Examination. Had my parents not hugged him and told him that he had done a great job for the exam, he would have jumped off a building.  

I was so shocked when I heard about it years later after the incident. I never knew that my brother wanted to commit suicide. Wow, I almost lost a brother had my parents not being wiser and gentler. 

When I eventually receive a D for my general paper in the A level examination, I was ready to tell my parents about it.

While we were growing up, it was drilled in us that we have to excel academically to get a good job. As impressionable young children, we thought that failing academically is tantamount to failing in life. 

Therefore, I could not agree more when I chanced upon this advice shared by an anonymous ex-River Valley High School student about his or her struggles in school:

It immediately struck a chord in me as the hug saved the life of my brother.