Fatemeh's Story
Fatemeh is a newly wedded bride. As part of the family culture, close family relatives have to be invited for a dinner. She is expected to cook the meal, which has to be the family delicacy.
Off goes Fatemeh to prepare the most exotic fish platter, which she has learnt from her mother. The D-day arrives; the guests are amazed at the lavish spread. While each one is relishing on the meal, the (elderly) guest of honor compliments her, ‘it’s truly traditional and tasty, just like my grandmother made it. But…’
Fatemeh’s heart sank. Had she messed it up? Where did she go wrong? Seeing the frown lines on her face, Humayun (the elderly guest) realized that he had to clear the air for her. ‘No concern my child. I was just wondering why all the dishes have missed out the fish’s head’
For most people from her culture, the head-piece (of the fish) was the true delicacy, a real treat for fish lovers. All that Fatemeh could stammer was, ‘I cooked it just the way my mom taught me’. Quick to retort to this, Humayun asked, ‘Well ask her why she did it? I’ll wait for your response’.
The next few days, Fatemeh managed to get news that her mother had imbibed the same cooking skills from her mother (Fatemeh’s grand-mother). Knowing that this reply would not convince Humayun, she tracks her grandmother on the telephone. On being quizzed by her grand-child on the cooking style, she realizes that her grandmother had ‘a small cooker to cook the fish. I had no alternative but to chop the head off so that I could conveniently place it as a one-piece’.
Thrilled by the fact that she had not committed any blunders, Fatemeh conveyed the entire story to the guest of honor. To her shock and disbelief, she was confronted with some harsh facts ‘my child, do you realize what you have been doing?’ questioned Humayun. ‘You have been following practices over generations without thinking. Your mother followed them, and you are doing the same. Does your techno-savvy cooking range still have the same constraints of the small cooker which was being used by your grandmother?’
There were no answers from Fatemeh. Dumbstruck and shocked with disbelief, she realized that she had never thought of questioning the manner in which she had been cooking. Not to forget the zillion fish heads which landed in the bin, rather than being relished?
Moral of the story:There is always a better way to do things. Never follow the down-trodden path or feel ashamed of asking reasons as to ‘why’ you are following a process style. Bring about a change with your justifications and see life around you improve. Like the adage, ‘if you don’t stir the pot, the stuff at the bottom just sits there’.
Off goes Fatemeh to prepare the most exotic fish platter, which she has learnt from her mother. The D-day arrives; the guests are amazed at the lavish spread. While each one is relishing on the meal, the (elderly) guest of honor compliments her, ‘it’s truly traditional and tasty, just like my grandmother made it. But…’
Fatemeh’s heart sank. Had she messed it up? Where did she go wrong? Seeing the frown lines on her face, Humayun (the elderly guest) realized that he had to clear the air for her. ‘No concern my child. I was just wondering why all the dishes have missed out the fish’s head’
For most people from her culture, the head-piece (of the fish) was the true delicacy, a real treat for fish lovers. All that Fatemeh could stammer was, ‘I cooked it just the way my mom taught me’. Quick to retort to this, Humayun asked, ‘Well ask her why she did it? I’ll wait for your response’.
The next few days, Fatemeh managed to get news that her mother had imbibed the same cooking skills from her mother (Fatemeh’s grand-mother). Knowing that this reply would not convince Humayun, she tracks her grandmother on the telephone. On being quizzed by her grand-child on the cooking style, she realizes that her grandmother had ‘a small cooker to cook the fish. I had no alternative but to chop the head off so that I could conveniently place it as a one-piece’.
Thrilled by the fact that she had not committed any blunders, Fatemeh conveyed the entire story to the guest of honor. To her shock and disbelief, she was confronted with some harsh facts ‘my child, do you realize what you have been doing?’ questioned Humayun. ‘You have been following practices over generations without thinking. Your mother followed them, and you are doing the same. Does your techno-savvy cooking range still have the same constraints of the small cooker which was being used by your grandmother?’
There were no answers from Fatemeh. Dumbstruck and shocked with disbelief, she realized that she had never thought of questioning the manner in which she had been cooking. Not to forget the zillion fish heads which landed in the bin, rather than being relished?
Moral of the story:There is always a better way to do things. Never follow the down-trodden path or feel ashamed of asking reasons as to ‘why’ you are following a process style. Bring about a change with your justifications and see life around you improve. Like the adage, ‘if you don’t stir the pot, the stuff at the bottom just sits there’.
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