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Let’s celebrate Women’s Day… everyday!
Hunched over our corrections like beavers at work, we were oblivious to the clock ticking away. The scratching of pens over papers, seemed quite musical in a different sort of way, peppered with sharing of nearly perfect responses from some meritorious students.
The days seemed longer due to a sudden increase in temperatures, although we were given a comfortable room and plush chairs for the long strenuous hours that loomed ahead. We are a band of twelve teachers and of course, ten are the spunkiest women you have ever met.
Evaluating end-of-the-year papers is more an assessment of the teaching that has gone on in the classroom through the year I feel, along with the prowess of the student. The gamut of responses ranges from… wow that’s a new interpretation, to… what a fabulous response!
(I must admit that I do feel envious, some lucky teacher has that brilliant student in her class.)
But today is about women and celebrating women. And no, it\’s not my spunky colleagues that I am talking to you about, it\’s Vidya maushi!
Since day one, she comes around with the brightest smile I have seen, offering us cool drinking water or piping hot tea. Once a lady hesitatingly inquired if there was some coffee and she nodded in affirmation and off she went, this portly more than middle-aged woman, only to return with a flask of freshly brewed hot and aromatic coffee! Mind you the pantry is somewhere, a floor or two below our room.
Forever fussing over us, worried about our meals, arranging them if required, and fetching us bottles of cold water.
It touched our hearts today, when she brought us freshly prepared ginger tea when we had finished for the day, wound up our work, and were leaving for home. She appeared with her flasks and insisted we have some as she had specially prepared them, also reminding us it was ‘Women’s Day’. She admitted she had gotten delayed a little but that was because there were no other maushis on duty, it being a holiday. The warmth in her loving voice could just not be refused.
For a long time, I kept thinking about the joy and pride that she held in her work, knowing very well we were just transiting ships and she didn’t have to build any bonds with us. We may never see each other, once our task is over but the qualities she demonstrated…
Commitment,
Client satisfaction,
Warmth and humility!
What a Brand ambassador!
When asked how long she had been at the institution, she proudly said that she was a permanent employee – just like the head of our team, and had been there as long as her.
It\’s women like her who we need to celebrate… every day!
Educator, author, poet, marathoner, yoga practitioner read more...
This post has published with none or minimal editorial intervention. Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
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