A brief meeting with an unsung hero…..

Although the trip to my little one’s school is a picnic by itself everyday. It takes me a good half hour one way and the route is so scenic that I do the drive with a permanent smile on my face – fields, barns, country homes, stables, horses, unbelievably friendly people and every once in a while a rare sight of a grocery store.  I even had a bunch of young teenagers suddenly cross the road on their bikes one day, a rare thing in a country that is so guarded with children about even the smallest of things….. As unprepared as I was, an instinct told me I was in a country side. Hence stopping was easy. 

It was absolutely a gorgeous day outside and the fact that the young children were hosting a Mother’s Day tea for all mothers made it even more brighter (Tea and scones – whose day doesn’t get brighter!!!).  As I strolled on to the side walk of the school from the parking lot, a older brisk lady began a friendly conversation.  I could tell she was of European origin.  Some of things she said baffled me and reaffirmed my faith that although it might seem that culturally East and the West are so different, hidden deep are treasures such as her. 

• She wasn’t sure which classroom she was supposed to go to. I was puzzled by that. What does she mean she doesn’t know which classroom her grandson is in?  She made it even more puzzling as she said, “David’s parents called me this morning and said they couldn’t make it to this party and asked me to be here instead so David won’t feel left out”.  By now, I am running a gazillion things in my head.. What???….I am glad people cannot read thoughts easily!!!. She added, “I am not David’s grandmother.” By now, my interest is peaked and I don’t want time to move as fast as it is. She went on say how she is a grandmother and a great grandmother to her own family, but she was also a grandmother to many children on her street.
• As she walks past the local school, children wave to her, each calling her their grandmother.
• She bakes and cooks for her neighbours and children and the bake sale at the local church.
• She offers uncalled for advise without a thought of how politically correct or incorrect she is.  She offers it with such simplicity and honesty that it would be difficult for people to mistake her.
• She is called to be a part of many such events as the Mother’s day party, to represent a child’s family. 
• She is an inherent part of local weddings and sometimes even a bridesmaid!

I met an unsung hero! She totally made my day.

Snowball effect of random act of kindness

One of those mornings, although a Friday…I was grumpy, my little one was super grumpy and lack of sleep contributed to the nagging headache. As we drove to school, we made an unscheduled stop at a drive thru. I placed my order and asked for the total and the lady said, “Drive up to the window and I will tell you.” I was irked, partly because of my headache and partly because I am so well planned with my moves that I like to keep exact change in hand even before reaching the window which is 20 seconds from where I order. As I drove up, she handed me the little brown paper bag of goodies with a smile, “The person ahead of you paid for you.” In a flash, it brought about a smile and thank goodness for presence of mind, I decided to pay it forward. I didn’t really get a chance to thank the driver ahead of me, neither did I wait for the driver behind to thank me. A few invaluable lessons that I learned in that few seconds.

• Random acts of kindness have the effect of Red Bull on a person’s mind. Atoms of happiness burst through every part of the body. 
• Thoughts shift from trivial things like my lurking headache to the cool breeze, warmth of the glowing sun, the beauty of nature outside, the smiles on people’s faces.
• Such kindness not only leaves the doer and the receiver happy, but also the person delivering the message.  In that 30 seconds that I was at the window, I saw huge smiles on the faces of those women that were perhaps having a ‘regular’ work day. 
• The effect of such kindness lasts a lot longer than the monetary value of the act. 
• It brings goosebumps to people who even hear about it.
• It reaffirms faith in humanity that kindness is not a rarity and if you seek, you will find in plenty.
• Many people who heard this story have vowed to do the same.
• It is perhaps the cheapest form of charitable act, but has a snowball effect on joy. 
• It will be one thing that I would remember for a lifetime because I see the need to spread kindness not just amongst loved ones, but also amongst strangers. 

Thank you stranger … You made my day…

I blog because

• No matter what I write, I have a few people that smile (perhaps smirk within) and that makes me smile.
• To redirect anger against stupidity.
• The filtration system from my mind to my finger tips has been compromised.
• Other organs except my brain voted against me. :O
• My brain is upset that someone else beat it approaching the Labour Board.:P
• Blog site doesn’t mind my using it as crapping ground.
• My friends and family need a break from my talking.
• Blogging is like a funnel for my otherwise disarrayed thoughts.
• My mouth complained about me to the labour board about being overworked.

But for facebook

• I wouldn’t have known where half my acquaintances were. Some of these people haven’t have been in my radar in the faintest of moments. 
• I wouldn’t have known that so many of my friends are so talented. While some bake, some cook, some paint and others write, not to mention the ones that are into DIY projects.
• I would have gone to my grave thinking that I am the only one that frets about chores.
• I would have thought I am indeed the worst house-keeper ever!
• I would have never known what some people eat on a daily basis and how many coffees they had in any given day
• I  would have never heard of half the games
• I would have never thought that farming was a cyber activity
• I would have never known how horrible a person I am because I don’t ‘like’ the innumerable number of petitions that get forwarded.
• I would have never believed that the cyber world seems as real as the real one.
• I would have never seen pictures of such exotic places across the globe.
• I would have been ignorant to the very existence of some ’causes’.
• I would have never known that I would be blessed/punished because of a FB page.

Now that begs the question, Do I need to “know”????

The queer case of the hopeless optimist

Every time I hear on the news about an act of hatred, terrorism or plot, I cannot stop wondering how evil can permeate society so badly leaving the world stunned by its sheer ghastly nature. One seems to trump the other.  While in conversation with my older son, I realized that in a population of over 7 billion people, predominantly goodness is the norm. However, the impact of that goodness does not appear as powerful. So my solution to this? (Get ready for some real insanity)

• There will soon be “Goodness sleeper cells” movement across the globe in every country.
• Members of these will be men, women and children from a cross section of society belonging to all races, religions and sects from every country of this world.
• Members will hold weapons of mass construction: – Construction of Good.
• Hence, they will breeze through airport security check-points without being noticed because the aura of true happiness cannot be scanned by machines.
• When it is time to make a statement, each member will hold the power to single handedly brainwash or talk down a situation that can spread fear.
• Each member will carry with them “viles of goodness”. Upon resistance, non-members or their supporters will be forcibly held down and made to swallow these tiny, non-corrosive, organic, healthy viles. Upon regaining consciousness, the non-member will be happy, positive and exude goodness.
• Our members will in particular target organizations that do not believe in this philosophy  and their primary aim would be to convert them.
• To grow to the top of this organization, people need to exhibit and prove that they are capable of mass conversion to good, real, non-revocable good. The larger the numbers, the more the chances of climbing.

Now that is what I call as a dream for a society, a society ridden in joy, happiness, love and peace….

I wish these lessons were learned at home…

• that used towels need to be hung on towel racks so they don’t reek of invisible creepy crawlies, because
• that a pair of pants on the floor resembling a standing pair of legs, need to find their way into the laundry basket, because
• that a turned on light switch during broad daylight needs to face the opposite direction, because
• that dirty dishes that adorn tables need to manoeuvre their way into the sink, because
• that groceries blocking traffic patterns inside the house need to find their seats on respective shelves immediately after coming home, because
• that rolled up comforters that look like a body has been stuffed inside, need to be flattened out, not just for aesthetic reasons, but also to prove the former idea wrong, because
• that empty toilet roll holders need to be replenished by users themselves and also as courtesy to visitors that follow, because
• that hungry children of the house will find their stomachs full even if the food is not fed by the mother of the house, because

the mother of the house is not an unpaid maid!

Bring it on life!

Little did I know that a visit to one of the best hospitals in the world would give me a deeper perspective to life.  Just a few such insights:

• No matter what your/your loved ones’ problems are, there are worse people out there especially in a hospital. 
• Such people also unfortunately include very young children and those young children have the best smiles in the world. Their physical/mental ailments have no bearing on their gorgeous smiles.
• Caregivers of such unwell children also share genuine hearty smiles, suggesting they accept the fact that these children are indeed very special and they experience true joy in taking care of them, despite it being the hardest job on earth.
• There are indeed kind-hearted, extremely  efficient, amazing nurses with nimble fingers that adeptly do the piercing on your little one’s hands, and magically, they are on duty, when it is your turn to be there.
• A test that seems to take forever doesn’t seem that long at all especially when the nurse suggests that you take a nap along side your little one, sets you up a pillow and a warm blanket.  A 9 AM nap is virtually unimaginable, but given the circumstances where there is no laundry to fold, dishes to wash or food to be cooked, thanks to being in a hospital, the only thought that seems to prevail is, “Thank God for what I have at this very moment (although in a hospital)!”
• All in all, a long day ends with a healthy thought: trying times? Bring it on! I will find the silver lining no matter how trying!!!