Greetings of the day,

This is @alfazmalek from #India,

Today was a little different for me, because amidst the daily work at the hospital, there was also a small celebration - the celebration of International Men's Day. When I reached the hospital in the morning, there was a slight freshness in the atmosphere, as if everyone was waiting for a small but heart-touching moment. This day is always special for me because in a busy environment, we often forget that the male staff of our team—be it doctors, nursing staff, attendants, technicians, HK team or security keep performing their responsibilities so quietly, so honestly, without making any noise. It seemed as if today was an opportunity to give a little light to the work done silently.

This image is created on canva.com

First of all I thought that today I will do the round in a slightly different way. Wherever I went, I kept honoring the male staff engaged in work by giving them flowers and a small card. These flowers and cards were probably very small materialistically, but the smiles on their faces showed how big the gesture seemed. Someone immediately folded their hands and said thank you, someone gave a slight shy smile, and some people were so surprised that they were just looking at them silently, as if they were thinking that someone has come thinking so much about them too today. I felt that lack of appreciation is often felt in busy routines and perhaps this was the reason why today's small effort seemed so meaningful.

From Ward to OT, ICU to OPD, I went everywhere and gave flowers and cards. The Housekeeping team was engrossed in their work as usual, but when they too received flowers, the sparkle in their eyes was perhaps the real beauty of any celebration. It gave great relief to the heart to see that respect can be felt not through any big event but through small gestures also. The doctors were also a little amused, a little happy, and some were jokingly saying, “Today we have also been honored.” These small moments made the day light and happy.

Around noon we thought of doing a small cake cutting so that the celebration gets a proper feel. It was a great experience in itself to see male staff from all departments gathering together in the staff cafeteria. Due to different shifts and different responsibilities throughout the year, the team members are not able to meet together often, but today everyone was seen in a casual and happy mood. The words 'Happy International Men's Day' written on the cake were simple, but this simple cake brought genuine happiness on everyone's faces. We cut the cake together and had some fun while feeding each other. All these moments were reminding me how important a little positivity and togetherness is even in a serious place like a hospital.

After cake cutting the atmosphere became a little more light. Everyone sat comfortably, chatted, and many people were telling me that such a small celebration had made their day. At that time I felt that sometimes when we are in leadership roles, we think that only big things make an impact, but the truth is that sometimes a small respect, a sweet smile and a sincere gesture makes a deep place in someone's heart.

At the end I gave a short speech to everyone. No formal speech, just some words from the heart. I told them that working in healthcare is not easy be it a doctor, nurse, attendant, housekeeping team, or any other department. Especially men's staff who often stay away from their home and family while performing day and night duty, they also need appreciation. I told them that the success of the hospital depends not just on technology or systems, but on the dedication of people like you, who give priority to patient care every day, no matter what the circumstances. I also said that the contribution of every staff is equal for us and today's small celebration is a symbol of this feeling.

The speech was not very long, but perhaps there was more honesty in it. This was the only reason that while I was speaking, I felt that people were listening very attentively, and at the end when everyone clapped, I felt good that what was from the heart had reached the heart. Even after the celebration was over, many people came to me and said that today will be remembered, because normally their work is left behind, but today they felt that their role is also equally important.

This small day-long celebration made me realize again that giving respect shouldn't be part of an event—it should be a daily habit. Although we look for big achievements, real happiness comes from these small, warm moments. Today's Men's Day was simple, not at all over-the-top, but the smiles seen, the appreciation felt, was no less than any big event. When I came back in the evening, there was a peace in my mind that today we not only celebrated but also remembered all those who gave their best without making any noise throughout the year. Perhaps this is the real beauty of this day.

All Images by @alfazmalek

THANK YOU

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