Asma Hamza
There is some good news!
Her eyes were Emeralds as she anticipated breaking the news.
I nodded.
It is such a terrific news piece that’d drop your jaw.
She was my daughter. It was impossible not to add as much drama as possible.
I’m ready.
I whispered.
Her resplendent persona shone some more. Then her pursed lips quivered,
“I was able to unscramble all the spellings today. Can you imagine two happy face stamps now sport in my notebook?”
“Two stamps, you say?”
My emphasis on two was an entailment.
She nodded. The Emeralds dazzled some more.
“Let me tell you what this means, maa. One of the stamps has a happy face with a wink and a thumbs up. This indicates the teacher has full confidence in me. She knows I will be producing great results.
” Oh! ”
I gasped. This time, it was a natural one. Her comprehension wasn’t a derivative I have ever heard.
“Now, let us talk about the other one. This one is a happy face of a girl with a bow clipped on her forehead. It is pinned in an immaculate fashion as the royals do. This suggests my penmanship is getting finer. The teacher has found that I aspire for finesse and knows I can achieve so; she put this stamp!
What do you think, maa?”
Leaving my jaw dropped for reasons she didn’t comprehend, She confidently kicked the ball in my court.
“Of course, she believes in you. So do I. That is where your job gets tougher, darling!”
I added my closing statement while I tousled those silk, gold locks.
She nodded, then rested her head in my lap; Eyes closed and lips spread in a beautiful smile as if to say I Can Do This.
Here I think, all it took were two cheap stamp prints! Something I had been trying to achieve for so long was done in the uno momento. Such is the power of appreciation. It works magically for people of all ages, but it is the ultimate win for children. So, do not be a miser if you hold a teaching position. Give now, and you will witness the results in the future.
As for us, we had ice cream on our way back. ( Please replace the pronoun we with her here. She and only her, for she hates sharing her desserts. How I wish it were the case with dal chawal too).
Writer’s Profile
Asma Hamza is a woman of many talents. She is an accomplished ESL teacher, brilliant story-teller, published author, and a charming puppeteer. As a mother of four, Asma is wholly dedicated to creating the finest and most inspiring forms of entertainment that are both lively and educational. Her association with different organizations such as Livedeen, Azaan, IRP, PEDA, Skill-ed and so on, has showcased her dedication and commitment to continue imparting knowledge and inspiration with her talents as an emcee, voice over artist, host, judge for various competitions, public motivational speaker, kids’ corner manager, and so much more.
