I Love You All

'Love you all!'​

For the first time in a different s hill, she entered the class-room on a Monday morning.
Teacher Sumathi had a routine. As soon as she enters the classroom she survey the entire class then says 'Love you all!'
She knows that what she is saying is a bluff.

She love entire class except one. That one student Goutham shabily dressed, dishevelled hair and wore a pair of dirty shoes. Not paying attention to her lectures. Therefore
teacher Sumathi accorded step motherly treatment to him . If anything wrong in class she attributed it to Goutham.
**********

She readied Progress reports of the class for just over half yearly exams. The reports sent to school principal's perusal & signature.

The lady principal after going through the reports, called the teacher Sumathi to her chamber.

When she arrived, principal told her, "A progress report being sent to parents to announce the progress of their ward for information & with suggested remedy measures if there is a need for better future of their child. your remarks here in Gotham's progress report will not help his parents to choose a remedy but only result in losing their hope for the boy and lose faith in our teaching."
Teacher Sumadhi said "Mam, I can't suggest any remedy measures. I have not noticed a single good thing to write about him!"
Prince instructed her to look into progress reports of Goutham of previous years.

Sumathi could not believe those reports. She read in Gotham's third grade annual report had in which it was written 'Goutham is the most talented student and his performance outstanding in the class'

Sumathi found it incredible.

In Goutham's progress report of fourth grade report she read that
'Gotham's mother is suffering from terminal cancer. This is causing poor performance in his studies and class room attention."

Beyond this sentence Sumathi could couldn't read through moist eyes.

Gouthams fifth grade report read 'Goutham's mother is no more. He needs a caring relationship. If it is not provided now, the school may lose this student!'

With tears jerking from her eyes, Sumathi looked at prince and said , 'Oh my God! I am very sorry for him. I never knew this. But now I know what I should do!"

Next Monday morning teacher Sumathi arrived at the class room and surveyed the class as usual
and said 'boys and girls -I Love you all'.
She was brimming with empathy for Goutham now. She knew that she was not lying this time.

She made a determined bid to mention name of Goutham as example for his profound live for his mother and she quoted often his name relating to good behaviour . She called him in class endearingly to draw pic and do problems and write small poem on board. She made him class monitor.
All these boosted up Gouthams morale, confidence and encouraged him do perform better every task entrusted to him in the class.

It was final day of his schooling. students brought gifts for their teacher and took autographs in the class room. Of all the gift boxes, Sumathi found the one wrapped with a newspaper. She thought it could be only from Goutham. She opened it in front of the class. She took our the contents from the box. It contained a half-used tiny slim bottle of perfume and a metal bracelet with some stones dislodged.

The entire classroom puzzled to look at the gifts brought by Goutham.
Without making any remarks, teacher Sumathi applied the perfume on her person . She took the bracelet and slipped it on to her wrist.
She looked at Goutham and said, " Hi Goutham. Thank you. These two are wonderful gifts from you".

Goutham responded in soft tone with a smile said, "mam Now I get to see my mom. I got the scent of my my mother.This was the perfume she used a little and placed it back in that box before she expired. This bracelet too was taken out from her when she had expired!”
Few years passed by. One day an envelope delivered to Sumathi . She opened and found a letter. From the writing she could make out it was from her student Goutham. It read....

'I have seen few more teachers. But you are the best teacher I have ever seen'. With love Goutham.

Every end of academic year, she continued to receive a letter from Goutham with same message.

'I have studied under few more teachers. But you are the best teacher I have ever seen'. With love Goutham.

Many years rolled by so fast.
Sumathi retired. The communication between them was lost.

Many years gone by.
One fine morning she received a letter at her residence. The hand written address on the envelope she recognised in an instant. It must be of that Goutham. With tears gathered eyes, she started reading the letter from that envelope.


Dear Ms. Sumathi,

'I have seen many more teachers in my life. But You are the outstanding one, I have ever seen'.
Now I am in a WEDLOCK. I am getting married. I cannot dream of my marriage without your presence. Pl do come.

I am in reverence to you .

Dr Goutham.

Encl: Air tickets were also attached. And the wedding invitation.

It was time to leave to catch the flight. She had no longer had that perfume bottle but that bracelet was safe with her. She dressed up and wore the bracelet, left for the airport.

She reached the venue of the wedding and was looking for a seat at the rear of the gathering in wedding hall.
From a distant, Goutham from the stage recognized her and he whispered to a few. They reached her and escorted her to a reserved seat like a thrown in the front row.
A sticker printed in bold "MOTHER" was on the thrown .

The marriage ceremony concluded. Goutham introducing his beloved teacher Sumathi to his just turned wife Girija told with moist eyes, "look Giri - this madam was my class teacher ms Sumathi. It was because of this teacher , I am what am today."
Teacher Sumathi looked at Girija said, "congrats. If it wasn't for Goutham, I wouldn't have known that a teacher first should be like a mother to her students."

 

Thanks to @shuba for awarding the maiden LIKE here. Looking forward to your fb which I value a lot.

There are many typo errors in my post which I just noticed. I seek your and other readers indulgence.

With best wishes

தியாகு

 

Indeed. Such empathising people are to be treated as salt of the Earth.
Sir You hv recalled here a most befitting fb which I cherish.