A LESSON IN HUMILITY: THE PROFOUND WISDOM OF OUR HOUSE-HELP

Recently, my family faced a significant change when my wife was transferred to a new workplace, in a new city, requiring us to establish a second home in Haryana. Like many working couples and parents, we had to find a balance between our professional lives and maintaining our household. To help manage our new home and care for our growing children, we hired a house help—a necessity for many in today's busy world.

This might sound like a typical story of modern-day living, but it leads to a simple yet profound lesson, one that came from an unexpected source: our new house-help.

In many of our households, we have become accustomed to wasting food—whether it's preparing more than what we need due to convenience or indulging in the habit of eating out frequently without any real occasion. This is a common scenario for many of us, happening more often than we'd like to admit.

But then, our new house-help brought something to our attention.

She said, "Let’s not waste food. Please ask me to prepare only what you can consume and finish. Let’s avoid eating stale, refrigerated food when I am here to prepare something fresh. Let’s cut down on eating out unnecessarily and minimize our intake of packaged foods."

Her words resonated deeply with my wife, who was genuinely impressed and touched by this simple yet powerful message. It’s not just about reducing waste; it's about respecting food and the efforts we all make to earn that food.

What struck me the most was that this wisdom came from someone who, by conventional standards, may not have had the same level of formal education as many of us. Yet, she teaches us something invaluable—that the essence of respect for food and the work that goes into providing it is a lesson we all need to remember.

So, here’s to giving credit where it’s due. Sometimes, the most profound lessons come from the most unexpected places. Let's take a moment to reflect on our habits and make a conscious effort to value what we have—starting with the food on our plates.

What can we, as formally educated individuals, learn from this?

Perhaps, it's a reminder that wisdom isn't limited to those with degrees or titles. It’s in the everyday actions and values that guide how we live. And sometimes, it takes someone like our humble house help to remind us of what truly matters.

Happy Learning!!?

[Ajit Panicker] Life Skills Facilitator | L&D Architect | Motivational Speaker | Author of 'BOSSOLOGY: HOW TO MANAGE YOUR BOSS?' | Transformation Coach | Founder – The SkillKrafter Academy