Miss and her motherly love

She is a special person I encountered in life. We have known each other for over a decade.  A person of exuberant energy, wisdom, clarity and optimism, she is a guiding light for a lot of teenagers and concerned parents in our district. 

When we met first, miss was initially surprised and taken aback to see a student with decent marks joining the Humanities stream. Students considered Arts and Humanities stream to be the least preferable option in those years. I caught their immediate attention. There was one more student with outstanding marks in the Class X exam from our batch. Miss saw a potential future in us and moulded us that way. 

Miss believed in forming personal rapport. Every student in miss's class received individual attention and care regularly. At times, students used to make fun of miss for her 'overcaring' nature. However, miss surprised her critics (academic and students) and persisted with her style of teaching. I enjoyed Sociology not just because it was an amazing subject but because miss was our teacher.

The idea of sharing Sociology subject with another teacher for the second year was met with a lukewarm response in the class. Everyone in the class wanted miss to devote her full time to us. The other teacher was equally interesting. We were lucky that the timetable was prepared in such a way to accommodate them both for XII E, our 2010-11 Plus Two batch.

 Two years under the mentoring of miss was a blissful memory. She cared for me and I studied with passion. I could maintain consistent academic performance for two years. It made her feel happy. Her approach was to develop future-ready students with passion and empathetical nature. I received lovely gifts and inspiring conversations on how to go about in life. She was happy that I went to Mar Ivanios College, Thiruvananthapuram to complete my Graduation and then to The University of Hyderabad for Masters in Journalism and Mass Communication.

Miss saw a potential Civil Servant in me but I never had the hunger or desire to even try it once. Miss never pushed me but casually stated this several times. Civil service and PhD level academics were complicated and stressful paths for me. I felt alienated when I tried to place myself there even though I enjoy some processes that shape up these professions. When I explained my career pathway to Mini miss, she was pleased to listen to me and summed up nicely when I finished. "I am happy that your plans are rooted in your interest areas. Just follow them with passion if you feel that it can make you happy," miss said.

Miss once quit a high-paying-cum lucrative job to return to her hometown to become a Higher Secondary teacher. Apart from being a responsible parent-student counsellor, miss enjoys listening to people. Miss is an expert career counsellor to whom teenagers can always approach.

I visited Miss's house a couple of times and I am fortunate to have received a warm and welcome reception. Miss is yet to visit mine. But I know where to head to if I am in trouble. 

Sometimes, a pat on the back or a warm handshake can save us when we are lost. "People like our miss are literally on the verge of extinction now," believes a friend. Miss would be the first person to politely disagree with this statement. 

What makes our miss special? Miss understands what is best for each individual. This ability came through real-world experience and by patiently listening to people and indulging in meaningful conversations I am happy that miss and I share a personal rapport. I feel nice and relaxed when I open up about things to miss. My interest in captivating conversations is partly influenced by our 'friendship'. I love my second mom just like how I love my first.