Just came across an old post, posting it.
Today I want to post a very special post for my Teacher Alaka Hudlikar.Yesterday I decided to finally look at the pictures we clicked at her place when she called me home for a special send off dinner.Till now I was avoiding looking at it as I did not want to feel that- yes it was a farewell dinner.I uploaded the pictures and went through the small video my son took and suddenly felt close to her again.I am glad it is on record, that she would visit me.I then decided to revisit the evening I spent with the person who has changed my life forever and made me what I am.
There is a special bond that we share.It has to be very celestial, if I may call it, as the 1st year I was with her was so tough and I somewhere had such negative feelings due to her tough ways.As the years rolled by things just seemed to start changing.My feelings for her turned VERY fiercely defensive and protective.If somebody even mentioned a bit of negative feedback for her I was standing there fighting her case.She was right and she has got all the kids talking , leading normal lives for the last 40+ years.Her ways are different but the she LOVES each of her mothers and their kids equally and eventually we becomes like her daughters.I always felt so strongly that I would do anything that she said.It was correct.I felt somewhere, she needed to be all over ,so more people can benefit from her work and her work needs to be documented.Thanks to her we were there in the magazine and in many newspapers and were known in the deaf circuit in Pune.So slowly started blogging and then upgraded to you tube , to spread her work.She gave me a lot of her time, lectures and her confidence that passed on to have a good response.Thanks to her , today I have over 150 posts and 160 videos with more to come.I have the confidence to speak about this topic and have a better understanding of child psychology.If I am able to counsel a mother not only on deafness but even for normal behavior, its thanks to her.Thank you Ma'am for being a part of my life.
She called us for a parting dinner.And I feel so blessed that she cooked an entire meal for us.I was so touched when she came down wearing the saree I got for her.We chatted and the there was a lovely 2 course menu.There was a special salad made by Ram Bhaiya, her son, and the a lovely paneer curry, warmed garlic bread and potato cutlets.I just loved them.Then came this very special dish-CURD RICE topped with crunchies.What was special?Well when she told me that though the dish did not go with the previous menu, she made it as it was made with the purpose that I should come back safely.I had that tug in my heart and my eyes too moistened up at her very special gesture.Ice cream followed and the best part was we chatted around the table for a long long time. I did not want the evening to end as we discussed about when she visits me, how we have to be in touch and various other things which made the whole evening very special.A sudden call from home by my mother in law ended the evening. My father in law was unwell.We had to just rush and I regret that we could not take more pictures together or could not say goodbyes well.I am glad though as being an emotional person, probably I would have found it too difficult to say any parting words.We hugged and cried silently, holding on to each other as if my life depended on that moment.Her love and affection so huge that I felt the power of supreme there.Thank you Ma'am for your love and the special gift you gave me, it will be 1st with me and the Prisha takes it and will be there with us always showing us your presence in our lives forever.Look forward to meeting you soon.
Oh, it must hurt your heart to have to leave such a wonderful teacher! She is truly a gem- sometimes "tough love" is required to help a child develop to their potential.
ReplyDeleteI am sure you miss her very much- what a great foundation she gave all of you!