I’m a Teacher, My Happiness springs from My Accomplishments

I’m a teacher,
My happiness springs from the accomplishments of my students. My sorrows and joys have been largely governed by the smiles and tears of my students. I have wept with tears of Joy at the weddings of former students and have shed tears and held their hands in grief and confusion sharing their sorrow when children so young, bodies far too young were cremated. Teaching youngsters to deal with and come to terms with the irreparable loss of their dear ones is one of the most difficult things to teach. How can I forget Abhinandan, Gautam Khetrapal, Nupur Mathur, and Chhavi Gupta who were snatched away by the cruel hands of destiny?

As a teacher, I wear many hats. I have been a mother, teacher, actor, performer, friend nurse, guide, counselor, money lender, psychologist, keeper of trust, and a role model most of all I remember the role of a sister, Vaibhav a dear student of mine lost his sister, he was a top student in academics, he was so distraught with grief that his grades started falling rapidly and in an impulsive gesture I gave him a card with words of consolation on Raksha Bandhan, not knowing that I was forging a bond of a lifetime. He slowly recovered from his pain and started putting in his best. One nod of approval or one look of reprimand worked wonders with him. I became his emotional anchor and motivated him to put in his best for the board exams and he sure did top the list. The very next year I lost my only brother in a road accident and then I understood what it is to be drowned in a bottomless ocean of grief and pain and there I saw Vaibhav silently holding my hand and offering me the same words of consolation that I had somehow mustered up to embalm his broken soul. We had formed an unspoken bond of a lifetime.

I am a paradox, I speak the loudest and at the same time, I also listen the most. I shout and scold and reprimand and even sermonize, but at the same time, I’m the most patient listener I not only hear the spoken words but also listen to the unspoken feelings and inarticulated questions swimming in the eyes, the hesitations and the inhibitions of my children. I heard the unspoken hurt in the eyes of Shweta whom I ignored when she spoke very well in the assembly and I failed to compliment her, tied up in my busy schedule. Chastised I rushed to make amends and congratulated her. I remember here Varun who used to stammer and stutter badly and the whole class made fun of him when he stood up to read, I saw the pain in his eyes and secretly promised myself to help him and started working slowly towards my goal. I tried motivation with rewards and music therapy and groomed him trained his speech and boosted his confidence the day came very soon when he participated in a speech competition organized by LIC and stood second. His eyes shone when he spotted me in the audience clapping for him and that was my reward for the day. Other budding debaters Himan, Shweta Chhavi, Devina, Alankrit, Aarti Shefali, and many many more won many accolades and championships. They were virtually unknown and lost in the crowd until I spotted that special spark, the hidden potential, and helped them to train and groom them for public speaking until they became leaders in oratory. A teacher’s rewards lie in the accomplishment of her students The thank you cards, loving notes, and gestures of affection and gratitude, calls overwhelm my heart to this day.

I now also remember Raju who lost his mother when he was about to appear in his class 10 board exams, he was like a lost kitten looking for love and security. He virtually stayed in my home for a month and a half and fared well in his exams. And yes,I fondly remember ‘not so bright ones’ Sudeep, Rohit, Vikas, Abhishek, Sachin, and Maidan who were a terror for many as they had the most ingenious pranks up their sleeve and yet they confided their tiniest fears and insecurities in me asked for my counsel and regarded me as there mentor. I’m happy to mention that they’re doing extremely well in their lives and are happily settled proving all theories and surmises of their contemporaries wrong.

How can I fail to mention the shining stars, Himani Nitika Chanda, Pallavi, Bhawna, Nidhi, Anand, Pankaj, Dipesh, Sameer Ameetesh, Sachin, Rupa, Shivangi, Shubha, Tapan Natasha, Namita, Mallika Surbhi, Devina, Suha, Mini, Bharti, Vineeta, Shefali, Aadarsh, Rohit and so many others whose names may be lost in my memory but their love, their letters, touching gestures of keeping touch with me and keeping me informed about what is happening in their life warm my heart and make me feel so special that I could touch so many lives in a special way. I feel blessed and proud that I have my children all across the globe and they live happy, fulfilled, and successful life.

I constantly fight a battle with negativity, fear, prejudice, ignorance, and apathy and try to inspire hope, optimism, trust love, objectivity, and a positive attitude. I’m not always successful but I don’t stop trying. My love for my students and my passion for my vocation don’t allow me to take a back seat when grooming of children becomes my first priority. Material wealth is not one of my goals but I’m a full-time treasure seeker in my quest for new opportunities for my students to use their talents and I know what I have built with love and truth will last forever I have a past that is rich in loving memories and I have a present that is challenging and adventurous, full of hope and a lot of fun too because I am spending my time with young minds which keep me on my toes ever learning, zealous and optimistic about future.

I am a teacher and I thank God for it every day. In 100 years from now, it wouldn’t matter which model cars I drove or what kind of bank balance I had, the only thing that would matter is how I could touch lives meaningfully and contribute in making this world a better and happier place to live in by sending out beautiful human beings as messengers of love and peace.