# 'We'll never forget you'

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-schoolgirls-well-never-forget-you
- Themes: humour, not taking offence, teasing
- Life situations: being teased, teenagers

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

The day after giving a talk at Mercedes College, a girls' school next to the Catholic cathedral in Perth, Ajahn Brahm is walking down St George's Terrace when two of the girls recognise him: 'You're the monk who gave a talk at our school yesterday.' Surprised they remember him, he hears: 'We'll never forget you' — how could anyone forget a monk called 'Ajahn Bra'? Teased, instead of getting upset he says 'Thank you', and has retold it many times.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

there was Mercedes Girls School. Is it still girls school or is it co-ed now? girls still girls cuz I I will never forget that school one I did give a talk there once it's what's fascinating being a monk go to all sorts of places to give talks so I went into the to give a talk and the next day I was walking down St. George's Terrace. I forget exactly what I was doing, what business I was attending to, but then a couple of the girls came past me and they said, "Oh, you're the monk who gave a talk at our school yesterday." And I said to them, "Wow, I'm surprised you remembered me." And they replied by saying, "We'll never forget you." Ah, that's so kind. And then they said, "We'll never forget you." How can you ever forget a monk called Ajan Bra, the teenage girls trying to trying to tease you and instead of getting upset, I said, "Thank you." And I've repeated that story so many times. I'm glad that they gave me that extra uh material for my Friday night talks.

## Teaching point

Never be offended by what life throws at you; enjoy it.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

Two schoolgirls stopped Ajahn Brahm in the street and teased him about his name. They'd never forget him. Instead of bristling, he said thank you, and has retold it ever since. Not everything needs to offend us. Take life's teasing on board and enjoy it.

## Source

- [Growing from Difficult Times | Ajahn Brahm | 21 April 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXZHG7El0lU) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 5:07 to 6:32: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXZHG7El0lU&t=307s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Emotional Intelligence and Acceptance | Ajahn Brahm | 19 May 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejSaOOQ3VrY) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 15:11 to 15:54: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejSaOOQ3VrY&t=911s
- [Problems and Solutions | Ajahn Brahm | 30 Oct 2015](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivjWh2yuumk) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 5:01 to 5:51: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivjWh2yuumk&t=301s
- [The Nature of the Mind | Ajahn Brahm | 3 May 2024](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HhV-6wQdJ8) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 25:56 to 27:22: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HhV-6wQdJ8&t=1556s
- [Finding Stillness | Ajahn Brahm | 5 July 2019](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY7Fu7wEh0Y) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 12:46 to 13:27: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY7Fu7wEh0Y&t=766s
- [Spiritual Joy of Giving | Ajahn Brahm | 24 January 2020](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0eWpnggUwk) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 11:18 to 12:22: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0eWpnggUwk&t=678s
- [Letting Go | Ajahn Brahm | 15 May 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PegeDdxN3WI) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 43:17 to 43:58: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PegeDdxN3WI&t=2597s
- [Guided Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 22 April 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBuiPWfEMCE) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 15:36 to 16:25: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBuiPWfEMCE&t=936s
- [Guided Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 21 January 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0GRfzfop20) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:11:27 to 1:11:40: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0GRfzfop20&t=4287s