Rahul Writes

We were studying in the computer lab at around midnight. After spending quite some time there, we started discussing and gossiping. At that time, a security person came in with an attendance register. He also had a pen for us to make entries. Seeing him, we became serious and got back to our studies. That tired security guard would be spending most part of his days and nights for a few thousand of rupees, whose major part he would send back to his far away village to support his family and parents.  

This was not the only time I was confronted with the harsh realities of life. My wife went many steps ahead of me. Once she returned back from a movie theatre saying she didn’t have the heart to spend 200 bucks for 2 hours of show after she saw so many poor manual laborers toiling to build a road.  

Who needs lectures in motivation, when we have so many real occasions to take inspirations from?  

- Rahul

Today, we had a group photograph in our office. Our unit is about a hundred strong. When we gathered at the entry stairs for that perfect portrait, it was around afternoon. The three front rows were out in the sun while the last three rows were in the shade. I and my group of friends comfortably settled in the middle of the last row. We could see the photographer from there and made adjustments so that our face would come in the snap. The guys who had chosen the front rows were getting red in the harsh sunlight. The last rows even laughed at their sorry condition. When we said ‘cheese’, the last rows had the first smiles and the front rows tried hard to look up with their tiny eyes. Three shots captured the moment.  

The photographs have come a few minutes ago. The guys in the front rows appeared bright and lit-up in the snaps while the faces in the shaded last rows are dark and not so apparent. What an eye-opener!  

If you want to make a difference, you have to be in the ‘sun’. Never mind the sunlight. And bear the ‘heat’.  

Watching a young baby is always a delight. Once we were around a newly born baby who rested in the lap of her maternal grandpa. The baby was sleeping with her eyes closed. In between, she would give very broad smiles. After some time, her face would show another expression, may be this time of fear. Then again, a very broad and happy smile. I was gently surprised! Was the baby watching a nice dream? In that case, even in her dream, did the infant had the power of comprehension to make out nice and happy events? That was difficult to believe. Then, was she recollecting events or scenes from her past life? This we would never know. Anyways, simply watching the baby in all her smiles, perhaps without any reasons, was heart warming. I remember an anecdote: “God speaks to us in many ways”. Or else we can say, “God smiles to us in many ways”.  

- Rahul

I used to wear a slim silver ring which had a pearl at its centre. I had been wearing it for around 15 years. After some years of use, it used to get loose and I would get it fixed by the silversmiths. In my hometown they would charge me only Rs 10 for the job. They would heat a pair of metallic tongs and press the metal around the stone, thereby fixing it.  

I needed to get the same job done while I was in Mumbai. But I found no jewellery shop agreeing to do the job! And to my horror, they criticized me and had a ‘you are so cheap’ look in their eyes when they saw me wearing this ‘light’ and ‘thin’ ring! One after the other all jewellers offered to help me only if I agreed to get some more metal and get the ring remade as a heavier one. That would make them earn some hundreds of rupees and I would get a big heavy ring. I didn’t like the idea as it would give me flashy jewellery and was costly too, but I had no choice. If I didn’t agree with them, I would have to bear with wearing a loose ring which had the risk of the stone getting out and losing itself. Ultimately I agreed to their design.  

Just some weeks afterwards, I felt an itch in my little finger with ring. I took out the ring and was shocked to see the skin below it. The skin was swollen, pinkish and very different! I removed the ring for some time and it became alright. I wore the ring again and faced the same problem! Water would go inside the ring and since the ring was too bulky and big, it would keep some water beneath – resulting in skin becoming wet and swollen. I got the ring enlarged a bit but now it became more uncomfortable to wear because of its weight. After hanging on with it for some more weeks, I permanently removed the ring. I lost my dear ring and the white pearl – the ring that had witnessed ‘life’ with me.  

I realised that I had made a wrong decision by agreeing with the money-minded jewellers. My earlier ring was thin, light and comfortable. It was unnecessary to use a ‘big’ and ‘heavy’ ring. The jeweller gained by making a heavy and big ring for me, but I lost. 

‘Less’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘scarce’. We should be careful, because businessmen’s lust for money is creating an environment which doesn’t support those who are ‘content with less’. My dear ring gave me this message. I will try to get another thin and light ring made for me and will be content with it.  

- Rahul

(Smaller Gods V2)

Lessons from the Kiddo ' Twenty minutes in the Bus

It was a usual Mumbai morning when I boarded a local bus. After some time I started hearing some chuckles from nearby. It was a baby, who was chattering around. I saw that a Muslim family had boarded the bus and that baby was with them; in his father's hands. They had not got a seat yet and hence were standing. Then I heard some more noises, and found it was his little sister standing on her own. They were five of them ' father, mother, baby boy, his little sister, and a lady in a burqa. The baby boy would be around one and a half years old and the girl would be of around three and a half or four. I looked up from my seat to get to see him clearly. He was a very cute little baby and he kept babbling; perhaps he was talking to his father. I couldn't stop but smile wide, looking at him. Now the baby noticed me smiling at him! Our eyes met for some moments and all of a sudden, he jumped to get into my lap, with his both arms stretched towards me! His father stopped him from falling into my lap, as I sighed and looked away After next stop they got a vacant seat just in front of mine and the two ladies with the two babies occupied it. Now, the real fun began

After hyperactively doing a lot of things and making lots of noises, accidentally the baby boy snatched his sister's hair. His sister was a baby too and she couldn't tolerate this insult; so she pulled his hair in return! It was an uncomfortable sight, to see a two year old baby's small hair being pulled up The boy was shocked and couldn't react for some moments, but when he realised what was done to him by his sister, he made a crying face! A moment later, his hands reached out to his sister's hair and he pulled her hair with all his energy! The girl tried to protect herself, all the while she reached for his head again! This continued for some uncomfortable five minutes while their amused parents watched them fighting Then the kids were separated and made to stop their bitter fight.

Suddenly, the baby boy found a stainless steel strip of the nearby window interesting enough. It was a shining piece, almost like a mirror. As soon as the kid found it attractive, he reached out at it with his open mouth and started licking it! I sighed and saw him with awe

Twenty minutes in the bus with the kids, I saw so many emotions in the play Baby tried to talk to his father with his babbles As soon as the baby saw a friendly person in me, he tried to leap into my lap When he hit his sister, she retaliated with equal force and he too went into a 'hairy' war with her As soon as he found a piece of steel amusing enough, he ran to feel it with his mouth So humane and so natural

I realised that feelings of we loving others (him talking to father), our need to be loved (he running into my lap), to retaliate and hit back (fights between him and his sister), to enjoy nice things we find in life (he licking the shining steel), are just some very humane and natural ways we act like

There is no mistake in we over-stretching ourselves a bit to love others; there is no wrong in seeking love from others; no harm in hitting back in defence; and no sin in enjoying good things we have in life

Life should be lived naturally, humanly, and baby-like

Baby Talk (Rahul)

Wishing you a very Happy and Prosperous Diwali! May this festival of lights bring loads of happiness and positive things to you