Role Reversal
Pooja kept the phone down and a drop felt down from her eyes instantly.For a second ,her emotional balance was gone.Her boss had scolded her for not getting the work completed within said timelines.She was hurt since she had always been sincere and was trying to put her best.Her team had let her down. No one had talked to her like this for so many years.But within few seconds she regained her balance and was back to her work. Pooja had joined the job recently.Till date she was practicing as a freelancer and was the boss of all activities.She had experienced a whole lot of frustration as owner –managing all fronts and now wanted to do some focused work while enjoying the privileges of being an employee. So now she had opted for a job. But today she realized what an employee goes through. It is a team work and when boss is scolding it is for the whole team but one employee at some point of time becomes the scapegoat for the non performance of entire team. Today she was on the other side of table. Her role reversal made her aware of both sides -pros and cons. She could empathise with all.
A daughter before marriage enjoys all the pampering and takes her mother for granted in all respects. I remember I never realized how difficult it must have been for my mother waking up at 4 am just to be with me at the time of studies and give me breakfast and tiffin at 6 am for years together. It was assumed that mother will do it. I never complimented her or thanked her. Infact if sometimes I did not like anything I would express it instantly. On coming home in evening my mother welcomed me with variety of delicious dishes and hot tea. I never expressed any gratitude. My wardrobe ,my bed all used to be always clean and upto mark because of her. But still whenever I used to have any problem I used to blame her easily or was being rude also occasionally. Today after being a mother myself I realize how tough it is to do all chores consistently day in day out without any expectation of appreciation . It is a tough job managing everyone wishlist and temperaments.
The same phenomenon applies in case of being parents in law.We always feel that parents are more caring and understanding than our parents in law. It is only when our parents become parents in law we understand the thought process and behavioural pattern of being on other side of story. In fact I started understanding behavior ,actions ,reactions of my inlaws more after many of my brothers and friends got married.
Friends my point is in any situation we are witness to only one side of story. The other side though invisible is equally true and can be equally justified.
We often hear young parents complaining that their kid never allows them some quality time. In today’s busy world where both parents are working so much less time is spared for the kid daily. Many times parents are engrossed in their activities .The single child feels so lonely. What his state of mind must be can’t be expressed. Have we ever tried to be alone in room with three people with none of the two talking to us??This simple experiment can help us understand the fuss the irritation of small kid.
Many times the senior citizens in our family may be suffering from some physical incapabilities due to age. It is our responsibility to be patient, to assume ourselves in their difficult situation and handle them lovingly.
We so easily scold our maids for not working efficiently or not being upto mark. But if we try to do what they do consistently for years even for 2-3 days we feel tired and exhausted mentally as well as physically.
Friends this kind of role reversals on and off help us to be grounded and being rational in our behavior. Every time only our side of story can’t be true. We must be able to see the situation as a third person and then make a judgement.
Role reversal can make us more balanced individual and help us to empathise with all. It can give a proper and more clear perspective of situation.
It is rightly said
“Before you assume ,learn.Before you judge,understand.Before you hurt,feel.Before you say ,think”
