Celebrate Humanity

Have you ever wondered how life seems to be in fast forward mode at times and in real slow motion at times? Well I am going through it now. The transition from the fast paced, high energy driven everyday life to the stage where moments that seem to drag on for infinity. It’s coming and I know it and I spend every waking moment dreading it.

I am a final year engineering student and the thing I have been dreading is my graduation day, the day which marks the end of my college life. I came into this college with a lot of dreams and hope. I have had the best and worst moments of my life in this campus. It feels like just yesterday that I got an admission into this college. My first year flew in trying to understand where each department was and getting to know my way around the campus. The second year was spent in trying to understand engineering, third year in trying to socialize and the final year in killing time. This was life in the fast forward mode... All these years just rushed past me.

My final year viva-voce and examinations got over last week and tomorrow is my graduation day. The past one week has been life in slow motion. The thought of leaving this college scares me. I know all good things do come to an end and I accept that. But the world outside these walls frighten me. There are a lot cunning people out there who just want to stamp on you to get above you. There are people who will be rash and ruthless. There is a lot of stress and frustration outside the campus walls. Not many truly humane people are there. There is more greed and lesser giving. The thought of becoming a part of this society scares me. I have to meet with strangers and learn my everyday lessons by living life and not by read literature or in labs.

The magnitude of the impending events caused me to lose all sense of hunger and happiness. I went to all my favorite spots in the campus. Recollected all the incidents that these spot witnessed in my past 4 years and wondered how many such batches would have memories of this campus. I walked to the students' common room and to the notice board to look at my favorite pictures. There they were, the pictures of all my friends and me during our various trips and when we got our awards. As I went through this board, I came to an article that was posted with pictures of flags with text on them. They were called Prayer Flags.

I got intrigued by the name and read the few lines below the pictures. It read,
“Prayer flags are used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. The flags do not carry prayers to 'Gods,' a common misconception; rather, it is believed the prayers and mantras will be blown by the wind to spread the good will and compassion into all pervading space. Therefore, prayer flags are thought to bring benefit to all.”

I stood there thinking. There were people out there who really wanted others to do well and be happy too. They made sure that prayers and blessings were taken to all. May be, the society is not something I have to face. May be it is something I can be a part of. After all, when there are people praying and wishing good things for fellow human beings, they cannot be that bad. I walked out of my college campus into the big and compassionate world. A mild breeze blowing, made me smile, reminding me that someone somewhere was praying for us.

Blessed

I have been 21 years old for 36 hours now and people have not learnt to value my time yet. I have been waiting on the road just outside the hotel where I was going to treat my friends as a part of my extended birthday celebrations. My parents wanted to be in Tirupati for my 21st birthday even though I tried to reason with them only to be told that I was not going to get away with it. My birthday was spent seeking blessings by donating 5000 rupees at the temple. What were my parents thinking? Did they forget that I had got an offer from one of the biggest corporate houses in the country to join them in a few months from now? I was one of the first to get placed in the entire college and that is saying something as mine was one of the premier TIER I engineering institutions in the entire state. I deserved to be gifted a car rather than spending my time in visiting temples. Why can I not get all the money that is being offered to the Gods? If only my parents understood all of this. But I didn’t have a chance to reason on any of this. Thus, my 21st birthday was spent in seeking blessings.

Why are these fellows not here yet?? Don’t they know how to keep up time? Why would they make me wait like a gatekeeper outside the hotel? I was not comfortable going in alone too and hence was left with no other option but to wait. I remembered that I found a gift of 101 rupees from my grandparents in my room when I had returned back home this morning. They had told me over phone to spend it in any way I like (Yeah right. They give me a hundred rupees and expect me to spend lavishly?!) and they requested me to come and meet them as it had been quite some time. But it’s a complete drag at my grandparents place. Far away from the city and have to sit and talk to them and listen to their stories. Why would I do that when I could spend the day with my friends? I did not let my parents convince me this time. I made sure that this date would be spent in the way I wanted. I got 2000 rupees from my mother (after a lot of convincing) to treat my friends and went to the hotel.

These guys are late! The last five minutes that I had been waiting for them seems like an infinitely long period of time. A few more minutes passed and I looked on waiting for my friends. I saw an old lady, almost 70 years, of age walk down the road. I saw her move ever so slowly because of the fragility her body had and may be it hurt to move as she looked very weak. I wondered why she was walking alone in this time of the day alone. She walked past me and went to the spot where all the garbage was dumped. She stood there and looked at it briefly. She slowly started moving the garbage in the hope of getting some food. I stood there shell shocked. I could not believe that there were people who lived like this. I wanted to help this woman. I approached and spoke to her.

I was astonished by what I saw. Her face showed clear signs of resignation and need for support. Her eyes clouded by cataract and her body more weak and fragile because of her age and health. I was almost in tears. I wanted to get her some food. I felt my pocket and realized the 2000 sitting there. But that money was not mine nor was it willingly given to me. I took out the 100 rupees my grandparents had given me. I walked to a nearby shop and got some rice and water for the lady. I gave her the food and what was left of the 100 rupees. She held my hand and cried. I saw how she would have craved for kindness more than the food. She folded her hands in a 'Namaste' and said "Ayushman Bhava". That did it. Tears that welled up in my eyes flowed out as I understood what my parents had tried to get for me as a birthday present. I understood the meaning of a 'blessing'. Thanking her for the blessing I helped her to a shade under a tree where she could eat and rest. I turned and started walking to my grandparents' home which was 6km away. I walked having got 2 of the best birthday gifts ever - realization on how the 100 rupees was more precious than 2000 today and a blessing.

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I dedicate this post to all those people who have been trying to make a difference to the lives of such people who are in need. I also owe the entire thought to the photographer. Without this photo, this post would have been just words.