My maid kavita.....a person who is always in a hurry to finish her work. She doesn't have a fixed time..but when she comes, she manages to finish her work in an hours time. Sometimes I wonder how does she finish all the work so fast. I mean, washing, cleaning the utensil, sweeping n mopping the floor so fast. No wonder I always call her my super fast worker. My mom has a different equation with her, loving her and reprimanding her at the same time...that's really amusing .. I ask mom, how does she do it , what if tomorrow kavita stops coming to work and leaves.. We will have to do all the work and right now am not of much help to anybody. Mom says that aint going to happen, because kavita knows how much she loves her.....LOL!
The bell rang and kavita was at our doorstep...mom had asked me to be on the sofa and have my legs up...so that i don't disturb the maid at work. And Kavita took the broom as usual but in a way, as if she was holding a rod to beat someone up.I found it hilarious..even mom too....we joked about it. And to our surprise, she said" yes tai..I want to beat my husband...and kick him too" ...I couldn't believe that...I was in split..so was mom.(not for the irony..but for the fact that I guessed it right - she did want to hit somebody), and kavita said this very casually and was smiling too....
I was curious to know the reason..then she said " I am serious tai...my life is so tough...I have 3 children to feed and this useless husband of mine doesn't do any work and my mother in-law is of no help. she asks me what will she get, if she looks after her grandchildren...now what do I tell her. Am so exhausted of this life of mine..I support my family with doing this work..but the money is not enough to feed so many mouths. I see no respite. My husband, waits for me to leave the place and pretends he is off to work..when I return back after few hours , i find him spread on the bed and drunk beyond capacity. My patience is wearing off now... Why did my mom get me married to this Guy! I wonder why"
This is the life of millions of people, living in this country..doing menial jobs over here. Who stay in slums, and there are millions of women who have the same fate as my kavita. Its a vicious cycle, it takes courage to break this cycle. And looking at kavita, it seems a difficult task. She is living a hand to mouth existence, I appreciate that at least she is able to feed her children. Is this enough...I don't know...somehow she is managing, but for how long...The expenses are increases and nothing is cheaper anymore. Staying in slums, has its own risks. So where does kavita go from here. She has put her children in school, but they don't study as the atmosphere is not conducive. She herself hasn't studied, forget about the ABC, she hardly knows how to count . I had suggested, she could send her children to me and I can take their studies. But she isn't interested, she said whats the use, they will do the work that she has chosen to do. I am feeling a little dejected, there must be a way out of this...am going to find her way.
But in all this, one thing I noticed.is .kavita's spirit. Her ever smiling face, her will to come everyday to work . So many people find even such a simple task, very difficult, when the going is tough. Even I at times, feel less motivated, I push myself to do the work. Look at kavita, endlessly day n night, she slogging herself out..just to feed her little ones. Am amazed by her spirit. Is it the spirit of a mother or is it something else. But whatever it is, I admire this in Kavita. Never saying no, to any work that befalls her. and that's what I like about her. Way to Go!...Kavita...! Adore You!..just be this way. Don't know if my being there is going to help her...but am happy that I can be of some help to her in whichever way I can.
The bell rang and kavita was at our doorstep...mom had asked me to be on the sofa and have my legs up...so that i don't disturb the maid at work. And Kavita took the broom as usual but in a way, as if she was holding a rod to beat someone up.I found it hilarious..even mom too....we joked about it. And to our surprise, she said" yes tai..I want to beat my husband...and kick him too" ...I couldn't believe that...I was in split..so was mom.(not for the irony..but for the fact that I guessed it right - she did want to hit somebody), and kavita said this very casually and was smiling too....
I was curious to know the reason..then she said " I am serious tai...my life is so tough...I have 3 children to feed and this useless husband of mine doesn't do any work and my mother in-law is of no help. she asks me what will she get, if she looks after her grandchildren...now what do I tell her. Am so exhausted of this life of mine..I support my family with doing this work..but the money is not enough to feed so many mouths. I see no respite. My husband, waits for me to leave the place and pretends he is off to work..when I return back after few hours , i find him spread on the bed and drunk beyond capacity. My patience is wearing off now... Why did my mom get me married to this Guy! I wonder why"
This is the life of millions of people, living in this country..doing menial jobs over here. Who stay in slums, and there are millions of women who have the same fate as my kavita. Its a vicious cycle, it takes courage to break this cycle. And looking at kavita, it seems a difficult task. She is living a hand to mouth existence, I appreciate that at least she is able to feed her children. Is this enough...I don't know...somehow she is managing, but for how long...The expenses are increases and nothing is cheaper anymore. Staying in slums, has its own risks. So where does kavita go from here. She has put her children in school, but they don't study as the atmosphere is not conducive. She herself hasn't studied, forget about the ABC, she hardly knows how to count . I had suggested, she could send her children to me and I can take their studies. But she isn't interested, she said whats the use, they will do the work that she has chosen to do. I am feeling a little dejected, there must be a way out of this...am going to find her way.
But in all this, one thing I noticed.is .kavita's spirit. Her ever smiling face, her will to come everyday to work . So many people find even such a simple task, very difficult, when the going is tough. Even I at times, feel less motivated, I push myself to do the work. Look at kavita, endlessly day n night, she slogging herself out..just to feed her little ones. Am amazed by her spirit. Is it the spirit of a mother or is it something else. But whatever it is, I admire this in Kavita. Never saying no, to any work that befalls her. and that's what I like about her. Way to Go!...Kavita...! Adore You!..just be this way. Don't know if my being there is going to help her...but am happy that I can be of some help to her in whichever way I can.
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