I had to fire my cook of one year because of an integrity issue and I was devastated. I had trusted her and she had let me down big time! I was reeling from the lies and didn't think I would ever trust a maid again. I was quite bitter too and was making vows to myself that I wouldn't let down my guard again nor would I allow them to get under my skin with their issues.
As a result, I took my time with hiring a new cook. I somehow managed with making basic lunches with add ons provided by our mothers. It was exhausting though and it came to a head when my son asked me when we would get a cook. (Boys!!)
Reluctantly I asked for help from the watchmen to help me find a new cook. After a couple of hits and misses, I finally got one who seemed okay (This was me having low expectations). She came in looking timid and quiet but within one week of working, she showed me her true colours.
What true colours you ask?
Well... She was a jolly person (Horror of horrors).
She would actually come into my home at 7 AM with a big smile and do whatever was asked of her with an air of happiness. She laughed at her own culinary mess-ups and took feedback very graciously. She learned recipes from YouTube and would try them out with a gusto that I had not seen before in others.
Granted she does some mildly foolish things like wreck a few vessels or wipe down counters with brand new face towels - but it's impossible to stay mad at her because of her ridiculous joy. I was stunned when one day as she left the house with something I had given her, she unashamedly said just how much she like what I had given her. I have watched my grand mum and mum wrangle maids all their lives and have found them to be more entitled than grateful.
Every day when she leaves our house, she will find me and with a huge smile on her face say “Bye” along with a request to let her know the next day how the meal was.
On getting to know her a bit more I discovered that her life is hard. Her husband stays at home stubbornly refusing to find work while she does back-breaking work in 5 houses. Backbreaking because it ranges from cooking and cleaning to babysitting and caring for the elderly. She has two young sons of her own who attend online classes on and off based on whether they have a phone available. The 4 of them stay in a one-bedroom house along with extended family. In the three months that she has worked for me, she came in looking sad on two occasions, both times were when she was overworked and having a headache. Both times, after having her customary morning tea, a quick rant and a paracetamol she was back to her chirpy self.
I have been observing her every day and secretly envying that joy that she possesses.
It's an uncomplicated joy that goes beyond her situation.
It's a joy that keeps her afloat in the midst of a hard life.
It's a joy that is contagious because although I'm a morning person I'm not a joyful morning person.
I kind of drag my feet till 9 AM and then take off for the day. I'm now forced to have lift-off at 7 AM!
Am I still wary of helping people? Yes definitely!
Have I let down my guard? Absolutely not!
But am I enjoying these sweet moments with a fellow Homo Sapien by all means? I intend to learn from her how to stubbornly choose joy even when life tries to pin me down and take me out.
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