Yes Sir, Yes Mam, and Mother
I live in the South, where strict etiquette of respect is expected when addressing one’s elders. “Yes Sir”, and “Yes, Mam” are required responses for students to instructors. Arriving in Dallas from California, at first I was like um.. I’m not a mam. Are you saying I’m middle aged?! :P. But I quickly learned that it was an endearing term of southern respect.
The bhakti version of Mam is Mother. Because I was a child in a bhakti environment, I too called all the adult females in my life “Mother.” It was “Mother Laxmi”, “Mother Urmila”, “Mother Kamalini” “Mother Padma”. As a teacher for the past twenty five years, I have been called Mother Gopi Gita every single day by all the students in the school, and by their parents as well.
Honor Thy Seven Mothers
In the bhakti faith, a mother is a highest symbol of love and sacrifice. Mothers are given the same respect as gurus; they sacrifice themselves to raise the next generation. Not only do we call our biological mom Mother, but any female who takes on responsibility for nurturing us is also Mother. Indeed there are seven mothers each individual has: the biological mother, the nurse, the sage or guru’s wife, the queen, the caregiver or nanny, the earth, and the sacred cow (she gives milk). These nurturing presences in one’s life are given the respect due our mothers.
When a parent calls me Mother Gopi Gita, or a client calls me Mother Gopi Gita, I remember that their child is just like my child. Their child deserves as much attention and care as I would give my own. I have been given this grave responsibility towards a brand new human on this earth, and with my love, I can empower this child to be the very best they can be with the circumstances they are given. I am honored by this relationship and love these children with my full heart.
Screen Teaching
In mid-March 2020, when all of us educators suddenly had to drop into online learning with our littles across screens from us, we quickly realized how difficult this would be for our students. I teach a class of 6 to 9 year olds, many without much practice in navigating computers.
I pride myself on total personalism in the classroom. Each child is an individual, needs one-to-one care. I sit next to them, energize their qualities as they work, re-enthuse their work, do it with them if need be. Suddenly, across from a screen, how was I to connect with the youngest and give them the one-to-one support I had been doing for years?
During that time, in the course of one hour, parents and my family at home heard each one call out, “Mother Gopi Gita? Mother Gopi Gita! Mother Gopi Gita… I need help Mother Gopi Gita. How do I do this Mother Gopi Gita. I don’t understand Mother Gopi Gita!” My teacher name was called at least one hundred times per hour. At night, I would hear their voices in my head - Mother Gopi Gita!! and feel their worry. I couldn’t wait for in person classes again so they would be calmed and not feel the stress of screen teaching. Parents were amused at the sheer amount of times the kids would call out my name. I thought about just muting them all and reinforcing stricter boundaries (Don’t call out please.). But, this endearing term Mother Gopi Gita made me realize how connected we all were, even if we were through screens.
I look forward to meeting you and empowering your child to leadership success, stepping into who they are meant to be and what their purpose is.