Its getting hotter by the second! I mean today I had to go out for a while and it was sweltering hot. I felt roasted! Anyway, I made strawberry shake today and everybody liked it! Ahhe ahhe!
Okay I wanted to share this little something with y’all. A few days back I was carrying my little cousin and walking in our colony. The weather was pleasant and kinda breezy. I was plucking out the flowers from the trees and giving it to him and he was squealing with joy! He is just so cute! He’s fair and has red rosy cheeks and the best part is- he doesn’t cry much. Now wailing babies really irritate me sometimes especially when they’ve got a trail of nosey running down their noses! Eww! In fact, he’s so cheerful that even when he walks and wobbles and falls down, instead of crying he laughs and gets up!
Anyway, as I was walking, I saw this girl who was no more than 12 or 13. She was sweeping the leaves off my neighbour’s porch. Her younger brother (about 8-9) was sort of tinkering behind her with another broom and helping her. They had another sibling who was just a baby sitting on the floor. Suddenly the baby started coughing and then crying. He was wearing a soiled little shirt and his face was covered with dirt and his nose was running. Hearing him cry, the elder brother dropped his broom, went up to the baby, picked him up, hoisted him on his hip and started to shush him. He did it with such a motherly efficiency that it amazed me. The girl just looked at them and continued to sweep. It seemed as if she had to complete the task fast. She wore a worn out salwar with a completely mismatched kurta.
As I stood watching them, with my cousin still looking at the flowers and clapping and squealing, the stark contrast hit me hard. The big difference. The only difference. The difference between us and those kids was a simple five letter word. Money. We have it. They barely do. Why? Why don’t they have the right to go to school? Why isn’t their mother around to wipe off their noses and keep them clean? Why cant they get education and become successful people? Because its their fate. Destiny. Somebody once said “We make up our own lives and then call them ‘fate’”. Well what about those who don’t have the means to make their lives?
Why do those children have to sweep and clean and toil to earn a handful of coins while we don’t even care to pick up a 5 rupee coin we see lying around at our homes? Why do they have to sleep on the streets and we indulge ourselves in such luxuries?
Well there have been a lot of times when I’ve thought about this. And whenever I see beggars or poor people, I feel so low. Even guilty sometimes. That day, when I saw those 3 children I felt something deeper. It was like a revelation. I was suddenly wondering why we are still so unhappy and ever-complaining? We complain about the fact that we didn’t get those particular Nike shoes that we wanted. Or we groan when we look at that same yellow dal that is served to us during lunch. Some of us complain that we did not get that Playstation game that we’ve been dying to have. Its something or the other. But its always there. That constant urge to want something. Either its that cool apple i-pod or the classy cell phones that our friends show off. Why can't we cherish the things that we have? Why don't we ever stay satisfied and happy and make the most of what all we have?
Look around you. I mean, literally. Go on. Do it. You’re probably sitting on your PC or your laptop. Or even if you’re in a café or at a friend’s place, let me tell you something. You’re lucky. You’re lucky because you have the skill, the chance to surf the net. Millions of people haven’t even seen a computer in their lives. Think about it. Realize it. It will make you feel so much more fortunate, happy, contented and grateful.
We have everything to make our lives. Yes, the means. Lets just stop complaining and do something about our lives. Instead of grumbling and rumbling.
Those poor kids were beautiful. In their own way. Although poverty was dripping from their faces. I kind of smiled at the girl, and she reluctantly smiled back. I sighed and went inside.
Strangely, at that moment I felt elated
It's just a saying "we are born equal" but the reality is we are born with a background and that is what matters the most. A rich guy can crumble to nothingness because of his deeds or a poor guy can reach heights with his hardwork but the fact remains the same, they had a background which directed their course of life. One had to put in efforts to loose it all and the other had to put efforts to earn it. I believe no two persons are born equal, they are certainly born with a background which has a major impact on their lives.
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