Role Modeling?

One year ago I was at the Tata Medical Center in Kolkata. My grandfather was not well.

As I was sitting in the waiting room, I saw a familiar face. She was my student from two years ago. I taught her English. There was the usual ‘Hi’ and ‘Hello’. She was studying in Kolkata and she was in the hospital because her stepmother was sick with cancer. As we went on talking her elder sister joined us and she introduced me. With my name she added, “… my sir who always talks about his wife whom I mentioned…” 

After saying what she said, Choden (my student) felt awkward or that was what I read on her face. But I thanked her for remembering me as a person who loves his wife (some students, I feel, think I am obsessed with my wife).

Now, two weeks ago thirteen teachers from my school attended the workshop on “Educating for GNH”. One of the pertinent reminders was on Role Modeling. They said, “Teachers are remembered not for what they taught but for how/what they were.” Now thinking about this line I feel I have been able to Role Model certain aspects of a happy man who loves his wife.

In the classroom whenever and whatever I chance on I talk about my wife. Once I was explaining ‘withheld’. I told them it is the past tense of ‘hold’ and that I love holding my wife more than my boys. They giggled and I gave them a general observation; for most men/women their wife/husband becomes secondary after a baby is born. This should not be because it will be the wife or the husband who will grow old with you. Happiness begins at home. Unless I am happy at home I will never be happy in school or teach them well. So, I told them that they should thank my wife if they like my teaching.  

This is my seventh year in teaching and I have continued to use my wife as a teaching aid in my lessons. I hope I will never get tired of talking about her.