Kumar was sitting in the cafeteria of his office. His day had just begun, but he could not focus on the jobs that lay on his plate. It was a Monday and was the most hectic day of the week. The happenings at home on the previous day were still lingering in his mind. As he slowly sipped the coffee from his cup, his colleague Devi spotted him from a distance and tried waving to him to garner his attention. But Kumar was still in his own world. Devi walked to his table and sat opposite him with her cup of tea. “Hi, Devi. How are things on your side?”, asked Kumar. “I am fine. You seem to be serious and deeply engrossed in some thoughts, Kumar. Is everything fine?”, asked Devi. “I am fine. Just some random thoughts running through my mind”, said Kumar trying to dismiss the topic. “But you look tense Kumar. If you could share with me, then maybe I can listen to you and if possible, suggest something”, she said in a warm and friendly manner.

Devi and Kumar had been colleagues for the last five years and they were good friends. Each one found it comfortable to confide their personal issues with the other to get some stress alleviated. “Well Devi, you know my wife Lakshmi is a busy doctor. We have a maid who cooks for us in the morning and that food is carried over for noon and dinner. But the maid is not there on Sundays and every Sunday, I am seeing a pattern, that Lakshmi loses her patience while cooking. I have told her repeatedly, that she can call me for help when she needs it, but she never calls me. Always there is a complaint from her side that she feels like a servant hired to cook for the house. We have arguments over this. This hurts me and the kids and I am trying to find a way to solve the problem”, said Kumar.               

“I think the solution is simple Kumar. I believe that you may not have to do anything as part of work in the kitchen. You just have to hang on there while she cooks and give her company. You have told me earlier that she likes conversation. So, on whatever topics that she starts her conversations, engage her with the same and give her company. It’s that feeling that she is battling in the kitchen alone that is draining her out and not the work that she is doing there”, advised Devi.

“Thank you, Devi. What you have told me now makes a lot of sense. I will try this out”, said Kumar after heaving a sigh of relief. The following Sunday, Kumar tried implementing the idea that Devi had suggested and he could see a great change in Lakshmi. The ensuing Sundays turned out to be very peaceful for Kumar, Lakshmi, and the kids.