The gentle kiss of Appreciation

Maggie and I with a student - all smiles

I am a loyal critic of Modi. Hence those people who don’t know me personally tend to see me as a disgruntled citizen, a grumpy old man always finding fault with his government. Those who know me personally will laugh merrily at that virtual image of mine. Especially my students.

I am a merry person in the classroom. A friend more than a teacher. I smile most of the time. I laugh whenever there is an opportunity. I encourage my students to create occasions for smiles and laughs. I appreciate even the smallest achievements of theirs in the most generous terms possible so much so once a student asked me why I think everything they do is “very good” or “excellent”. I answered her with the wisdom borrowed from Marcus Aurelius that I wanted them to look at the stars so that one day they would be running with them.

Appreciation is a miracle-worker especially with youngsters. How many thousands of times have I seen faces blossoming like fragrant flowers merely because I said something like ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’? Appreciation does far more than that. It makes the student strive for greater achievements the next time and still greater the next time. I keep getting better and better results as time moves. I keep seeing miracles unfolding. All because I say ‘very good’ and ‘excellent’ or their equivalents when required.

It was Lewis Carroll who imagined the snow as a lover of the trees and fields. The snow kisses them gently. And then it covers them up snug with a white quilt. Does it tell them, ‘Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again’? Does it tell them in soothing words that they need this rest?

Appreciation is something like that. A gentle kiss, a snug cover, the caress of a whisper.

Let me return from this poetry to the prose that I began with. I would like to appreciate my government too. I am not a grumpy old man inspecting the sewers of my country. I would love to say ‘very good’ and ‘excellent’ to my Prime Minister too. Give me a chance, please.

PS. Prompted by Indispire Edition 415: Can you share unselfishly, genuine appreciation of someone's accomplishment? #firgun