Somehow I managed to get a girl through a neighbor to do cleaning etc of my home but she quoted an abnormally high rate for a day’s work. Initially I got irritated on her quoted rate but then considering my health and knowing that any other maid would also try to extract money in this situation, I thought it better to get the work done by her. While she was mopping the floor of my bedroom, I observed her coughing badly. On enquiring and touching her forehead I realized even she was having high fever. I asked, “why are you working with water and that too at extra houses, go home & take rest?” She slowly replied, “karne do didi, extra paisa ka jaroorat hai. Mera 3 saal ka beta hai aur bimar hai, uske liye dava lena hai.” One look at her face and I felt she was not faking it; she looked genuinely in need of money. Not sure if my observations were right but I handed her the money and asked her to leave. And here I was cribbing about my fever…
In the afternoon, apartment manager sent two young boys to paint our balcony. Resting on my bed near window, I was keenly observing those kids painting the balcony so enthusiastically. One holding the ladder while the other climbing on it and brushing the ceiling. Suddenly we saw one of them jumping outside the balcony to paint the external panel, he was almost hanging in air with just one rope around his waist and the other end of rope in hands of the other boy. Immediately me and my husband went out and asked them not to do it like this to which the boy replied this was the only way to do it. I again insisted, “mat karo aise, kahi gir gaye tum toh, agar aise paint karna hai toh koi zaroorat nahi hai bahar paint karne ki.” The kid gave a hearty laugh, “kaise girenge didi, usne pakad rakha hai na rassi ko, aap bekaar ka tension le rahe ho, hum yeh roz karte hai, yahi kaam hai mera”. Worried I asked again, “tumko dar nahi lagta and tumhare kamar mein dard nahi hota hai”, he replied with a bright smile, “hota hai thoda bahut, lekin chalta hai”. Once they left after finishing the painting successfully, me and my husband were discussing the meager money versus high risk and pain which those kids must be getting! And here I was cribbing about my body ache…
Evening it was raining and I stood in my balcony with a cup of tea. Generally I enjoy such lovely weather but maybe because of fever and cold somehow I didn’t like the chill and rains that day. Suddenly I saw 3 poor kids drenched in rain running in the opposite ground after something, it was actually a big plastic sheet which was floating in air; wind must have blown it from somewhere else. The moment it came down they jumped, snatched and brought it down on the ground. Once they had that big plastic in their hands, all of them stood in a row. The ones on the outermost corners held the sheet like a hood on their heads and the middle one raised his hand to keep it high. Three of them started walking together with their hands up holding the sheet straight, though already wet but still struggling to save themselves from rain through that temporary plastic shelter. And here I was cribbing about rain & cold…
Not sure if it was my silence or thoughtful mood which made me observed all this but while I observed it just set me to think more…
Nu
Hey there ! Hope you are better now 🙂 The lethal combo is really lethal, i second that !
About the 3 observations that you made. Yes, we all go through these observations day in day out. May be your silence make you observe all 3 in a row. But ultimately are we taking any learning from them ?
On the other hand one might think why do we want to learn from such observations when we can throw some money and get the work done ?
So these are the 3 kind of people we have within and around us:
1. Who will moan over these issues for a while and then forget or keep them aside..after all work takes front seat !
2. Who will observe and think through and will always remember and remind oneself in the time of self cribbing situations…A learning taken place !
3. Who will just press the ignore button ! Move on..Life's more than all this..yeah !
So, we need to analyse which category we belong to !
As always your writing was so crisp and detailed at the same time 🙂 Tried your hands at writing a book ? No, seriously !
Smita
I know what u r talking about.
The place where I used to live in Ahmedabad was on the main road and in the initial days the sound of traffic was quite disturbing and I had trouble sleeping, needless to say I used to crib. Then one day I saw a bunch of people who used to live on the pavement. These guys used to go off to sleep by 9 in the night when the traffic used to be in full swing. They used to sleep under a simple barsati when it rained. In few words they were living such a constrained life but slept most peacefully because they have resigned to their fate whereas we who have most of the comforts crave for me!!!
I guess these ppl are the best ppl to make us realize the value of money and value of the things that we have.
Tarun Goel
A nice read 🙂
And one more thing, every running nose is not a swine nose 🙂
Bedazzled
lovely post !We are all so used to luxuries that we take everything for granted …reminds me to be more thankful of things i have and not..
Iya
its tru, we only think of our blessings when we see others in distress. theres poverty and sickness all around and we still crib about that silly something. yeah thats life. thats y, when ever down and out I start counting my blessings..and then i reliaze how meaning less all this cud be
Nautankey
Great post kanu.How true it is,while we are not satisfied with our luxuries adn want more n more the poor ones are happy/satisfied with what they have.Someday wish I wont crib about all those thing i have.
Anonymous
We get into cribbing because we have forgotten the basic..remember Gandhi Ji's Talisman printed on the first page of all N.C.E.R.T books. It said the below:-
"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man [woman] whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him [her]. Will he [she] gain anything by it? Will it restore him [her] to a control over his [her] own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to swaraj [freedom] for the hungry and spiritually starving millions?
Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."
– One of the last notes left behind by Gandhi in 1948, expressing his deepest social thought.
Regards,
Gandhian
ani_aset
nice post 🙂
it reminds me of just one thing
"when you feel you have less
look at the ones who have lesser than you"
Mehar
Hello Friend, Hope everything is fine.
I am a researcher from psychology department. Interested in bloggers and their behavior. My research topic is "Blogging Improves Self-Identity". In connection with my research I need your help. If you spare your mail id, I will be sending the research questionnaire's to your mail Id. You can give your responses to the questionnaire. My mail Id is meharun@gmail.com. Kindly cooperate in this survey. Your response will be used only for research purpose. To end with friendly note, I am always ready to help you if you have any queries or doubts related to psychology. Thank you.
Meharunnisha
Doctoral Candidate
Dept of Psychology
Bharathiar University
Coimbatore – 641046
Tamil Nadu, India
meharun@gmail.com
The Survivor
Harsh Realities!!
Hope you are well now
Abhishek
Great post!
Sometimes keeping things in perspective changes their absolute size!
Is that why you were looking for volunteers to be killed by you? 😉
Suchismita
Very nice. thought provoking. sometimes we need these periods of low energy to notice that there are others with problems…am sure you are better now…
Diva
This reminded me of the Gandhiji's Talisman immediately and I was glad someone already commented about it 🙂
here's my blgopost on it:
http://divasdreamworld.blogspot.com/2008/03/secret-of-happniess.html
The most important thing is to remain humble inspite of everthing that happens to us in life, good or bad, success or failure.. I think thats what is called compassion!!!
Dil se
Very true. We realize the importance of value of what we have only after seeing someone who doesn't even have that much.
I wish more people could see this and be content with what they have.