Continued from part-1.
Second instance was when I was working with one of the MNCs. It was an annual gathering of India's team - after few of years, the annual day celebration was held again at Bangalore. Mumbai office being the oldest and had completed 25 years of presence in India. There was a security personnel who was one of the first permanent employees to join the office when it started. Perhaps, he is the only one still around in the whole India organization for so long. I remember my first day in that org, where he asked me to write my name and phone number. Around lunch time, he came looking for me and asked me - since its your first day should I get anything for you to eat? in the evening he made sure if I needed any assistance to look for conveyance...Any of these doesn't fall under his responsibilities. He just extends his courtesy so that other person feels awesome in that office. Not just first day, he used to keep watch on around 150 regular employees plus temporary employees who used travel from other locations. One evening, I was so engrossed in my work, he kept cheese s/w and a juice on my desk. I was so surprised to see that. He had noticed me running around the whole day, dint have time to lunch, so he had got that for me. Though I don't eat cheese, I just ate whatever he had got without a word. He is our favorite - Pandeyji. In that annual gathering, anchor said they are going to felicitate the oldest employee of that org and threw a question to us asking who is the oldest employee of that organization. Most of us dint know. Some screamed - pandeyji. I was wondering he is in Mumbai. But the org had got him to Bangalore and Pandeyji went to the stage and the whole auditorium stood up. Tears rolled down and it was absolute silence. I saw tears in the eyes of at least 80% people around me. People were clapping for him for so long without their knowledge. He took care of for most of us at some or the other point in that office. I felt - yes, this is "touching lives".
My third incident is mostly similar feeling at two places - Bangalore & Delhi airports. First, it started with the Delhi airport. I'd a pretty bad work day, was very tired after a grueling day that had started at 4am and finally ended at 9pm, I was late for my return flight, went to use the wash room. Care taker there greeted me with a smile and said - namaste madam. I responded and went ahead, I was late for the flight and hurried to boarding. After I occupied my seat, said hello to a lady next to me and I realized I was smiling. The bad feeling that I carried from work wasn't there. Then it occurred to me that a lady greeted me with a beautiful smile in the wash room and at the back of my mind there was a thread running about why should she greet, of course it would be one's necessity/pressing priority sometimes to go there ;-) But her beautiful smile, honest eyes had dissolved my bad mood and had set a smile on my face. Every time I visited Delhi airport I'd many such beautiful smiles greeting me. I was wanting to talk to them, but never usually was early to the airport. One day, I completed my work early and reported to airport early. As usual I went to the wash room and started a conversation with one of the care takers there. I asked her why do you greet everyone? Anyway they come...she said as part of our work responsibilities we have to greet first. Initially, we were not used to this and some travelers wouldn't even look at us and just go without noticing. This was disappointing and we felt kind of insulted. But our manager told us continue and remember those who appreciate. Some respond, smile, they ask our name..some people compliment. She mentioned, most of the foreign nationals respond without fail. Some appreciate our work and praise our smiles. After few months we started feeling happy about these responses. We no more bother about people who don't respond, they may have their tensions and sorrows like we all have. Some people like you, like us, talk to us, share their experiences. We feel happy when you feel good at Delhi airport. After a year or so it started in Delhi, I felt similar experience at Bengaluru airport. They would greet and make sure toilet seat is dry before we enter. I asked one of the care takers there - Don't you feel bored to greet everyone with smile and then check every time someone comes out of the toilet/enters the toilet? She said that's part of her job to greet people and to keep toilet clean. However, she shared one more secret there - when we make sure toilet seat is dry and toilet is clean when someone uses it or enters, most of the users make sure they leave it clean for next person to use. Some travelers even educate others saying that care takers are also humans, why don't you clean up your mess. Yep, smart she was. Then she said, no one should feel 'namma bengaluru' is not clean when they enter. Six-Seven years now, I have started observing, each time I travel, I feel refreshed and my heart fills with gratitude when I enter the wash room. They are indeed - "touching lives".
People in their capacity with simple instances can make a big impact on us - for the betterment of us - I feel only if we keep ourselves open to such warmth, then we can also spread the same.
Sigona.
Second instance was when I was working with one of the MNCs. It was an annual gathering of India's team - after few of years, the annual day celebration was held again at Bangalore. Mumbai office being the oldest and had completed 25 years of presence in India. There was a security personnel who was one of the first permanent employees to join the office when it started. Perhaps, he is the only one still around in the whole India organization for so long. I remember my first day in that org, where he asked me to write my name and phone number. Around lunch time, he came looking for me and asked me - since its your first day should I get anything for you to eat? in the evening he made sure if I needed any assistance to look for conveyance...Any of these doesn't fall under his responsibilities. He just extends his courtesy so that other person feels awesome in that office. Not just first day, he used to keep watch on around 150 regular employees plus temporary employees who used travel from other locations. One evening, I was so engrossed in my work, he kept cheese s/w and a juice on my desk. I was so surprised to see that. He had noticed me running around the whole day, dint have time to lunch, so he had got that for me. Though I don't eat cheese, I just ate whatever he had got without a word. He is our favorite - Pandeyji. In that annual gathering, anchor said they are going to felicitate the oldest employee of that org and threw a question to us asking who is the oldest employee of that organization. Most of us dint know. Some screamed - pandeyji. I was wondering he is in Mumbai. But the org had got him to Bangalore and Pandeyji went to the stage and the whole auditorium stood up. Tears rolled down and it was absolute silence. I saw tears in the eyes of at least 80% people around me. People were clapping for him for so long without their knowledge. He took care of for most of us at some or the other point in that office. I felt - yes, this is "touching lives".
My third incident is mostly similar feeling at two places - Bangalore & Delhi airports. First, it started with the Delhi airport. I'd a pretty bad work day, was very tired after a grueling day that had started at 4am and finally ended at 9pm, I was late for my return flight, went to use the wash room. Care taker there greeted me with a smile and said - namaste madam. I responded and went ahead, I was late for the flight and hurried to boarding. After I occupied my seat, said hello to a lady next to me and I realized I was smiling. The bad feeling that I carried from work wasn't there. Then it occurred to me that a lady greeted me with a beautiful smile in the wash room and at the back of my mind there was a thread running about why should she greet, of course it would be one's necessity/pressing priority sometimes to go there ;-) But her beautiful smile, honest eyes had dissolved my bad mood and had set a smile on my face. Every time I visited Delhi airport I'd many such beautiful smiles greeting me. I was wanting to talk to them, but never usually was early to the airport. One day, I completed my work early and reported to airport early. As usual I went to the wash room and started a conversation with one of the care takers there. I asked her why do you greet everyone? Anyway they come...she said as part of our work responsibilities we have to greet first. Initially, we were not used to this and some travelers wouldn't even look at us and just go without noticing. This was disappointing and we felt kind of insulted. But our manager told us continue and remember those who appreciate. Some respond, smile, they ask our name..some people compliment. She mentioned, most of the foreign nationals respond without fail. Some appreciate our work and praise our smiles. After few months we started feeling happy about these responses. We no more bother about people who don't respond, they may have their tensions and sorrows like we all have. Some people like you, like us, talk to us, share their experiences. We feel happy when you feel good at Delhi airport. After a year or so it started in Delhi, I felt similar experience at Bengaluru airport. They would greet and make sure toilet seat is dry before we enter. I asked one of the care takers there - Don't you feel bored to greet everyone with smile and then check every time someone comes out of the toilet/enters the toilet? She said that's part of her job to greet people and to keep toilet clean. However, she shared one more secret there - when we make sure toilet seat is dry and toilet is clean when someone uses it or enters, most of the users make sure they leave it clean for next person to use. Some travelers even educate others saying that care takers are also humans, why don't you clean up your mess. Yep, smart she was. Then she said, no one should feel 'namma bengaluru' is not clean when they enter. Six-Seven years now, I have started observing, each time I travel, I feel refreshed and my heart fills with gratitude when I enter the wash room. They are indeed - "touching lives".
People in their capacity with simple instances can make a big impact on us - for the betterment of us - I feel only if we keep ourselves open to such warmth, then we can also spread the same.
Sigona.
