Live Positive Way - Appreciation

Live Positive Way - Appreciation

I asked Life,

“Why are you so difficult?”

Life 'smiled' and said,

“You people never appreciate easy things”.

What a powerful message?

This is not my first blog post about 'appreciation'. I keep posting on this topic. But this time, it’s a special blog post for me 'on appreciation'.

Whenever we talk about appreciation, we always think about ‘elders appreciating the younger ones’, ‘parents appreciating their children’, ‘seniors appreciating the juniors in work place’, ‘colleagues appreciating each other’ or ‘friends’ or ‘partners’.

A small girl made me realise that children too have the ability to 'appreciate elders' and motivate them.

The past few months were tough for me and I was trying hard to bring out my best in all areas. As a 'Specialist' working with the 'children with learning difficulties' in an International School, I often find happiness helping the children and spending more time with them. Yesterday was a lovely day for me. I was in a class helping my children with "special needs" and suddenly one girl from that class came to me. Normally, I go to classes and take care of the children referred to me and being in the age group of 4-6, sometimes out of curiosity, other students too come to me to know what I am doing. A few children, to grab my attention will keep asking me some doubts or spellings to complete their work.  So I thought she is one such a child and asked her what she wants? She showed me a beautiful drawing of two images. I said, ‘That’s really nice. Good job!’. She immediately responded with a broad smile, “Ma’am, that’s for you!” I was surprised and enquired, “but why for me”? For that she replied, “I like you”. Though I was delighted by the response, still had my own doubts and further asked, “but I never teach you, still you like me?” For this she replied, “Yes ma’am. You don’t teach me but I love you so much since you help my friends to read and write, which they found difficult to do before”. I was totally moved by this gesture of her's. A small child of age 6 is so connected and concerned about her friends and not just that she is also able to appreciate the work of a person who is 41 years old.

I was feeling out of the world hearing her “APPRECIATION” for me. At that moment, I felt like, my 4 years of association with this field is rewarded. All my efforts and passion were recognised by this child and I saw her above anyone else who can rate my performance in the organisation.

Hats off to the parents of Tanvi (that’s her name which I will never forget in my lifetime) for giving such an upbringing who cares for her friends and at the same time have the attitude of appreciating others. She changed my perspective and made me realize that even a small child can appreciate elders and the appreciation from anybody---regardless of age, group, society, person----adds more value to what we do. 

Due to so many personal 'engagements' I was not able to sit and pen down my thoughts for almost 2 months now. Two of my other blog posts (drafts) are only half-way through in my 'reflective journal'. But this small girl moved me so profoundly that I completed this blog post in no time.

I am double-charged now to work more closely and effectively with my students and I feel I have finally chosen something, which is so apt and fulfilling for me. 

Who knows, may be this is my 'real calling'?!

- Suganthi Sankaran