Morning Lesson

It had been a particularly chaotic morning for Nikki. Her alarm had failed to go off, and she'd woken up late, throwing her entire morning routine into disarray. Rushing to get herself ready for work, she was already frazzled by the time her cook, Ujjawala, arrived.

Ujjwala had been working for Nikki for several years, and for the most part, she was a reliable and diligent employee. But today, as Nikki raced around the kitchen, trying to prepare breakfast and pack lunch for her family, Ujjawala seemed to be plagued by an unusual bout of forgetfulness. She kept calling Nikki with trivial questions as if it were her first day on the job.

She was in a hurry, and these interruptions were slowing her down. Nikki prided herself on being a calm and understanding employer, so she bit her tongue, resisting the urge to snap at Ujjawala.

As the minutes ticked by, Nikki's frustration grew. She couldn't help but express her irritation to her husband. "She's driving me crazy today," she muttered, "I'm going to be late because of her. "Her husband always the voice of reason, suggested that Nikki give Ujjawala a little slack. "Maybe she's just having an off day," he said. "Don't let it get to you."

Nikki begrudgingly acknowledged the wisdom in his words and went back to her tasks. Finally, after a flurry of activity, she managed to get herself ready. She dashed out of the house, running late, and as she headed to the car, she noticed something unexpected.

Their lunch boxes, fully packed and ready to go, were neatly lined up on the kitchen counter. A wave of guilt washed over her as she realized that Ujjawala had not only handled her regular duties but also gone above and beyond by preparing their lunches.

To make matters worse, her phone buzzed with a WhatsApp message. It was from Ujjawla, apologizing for forgetting to pack Nikki's salad and letting her know that it was in the fridge.

Nikki couldn't help but feel like a fool. Her frustration with Ujjawala had been unfounded, and she had unfairly taken it out on her husband, blaming the cook for her disorganized morning. She gave her husband an apologetic look and realized that sometimes, it's not the world or others who are the problem. It's our internal chaos that we project onto those around us. She vowed to be more patient and understanding in the future and to remember that sometimes, the problem isn't with them; it's with us.