Thursday, January 28, 2016

A travel towards reality !

In the middle of a very tiring day, I had to hop on to an auto that could drop me from my working site to my work place! (Both sound similar, right? But, they are not! Site is where I had to go on an official visit while Workplace is where my dear labs and darling cells and a super boss await me, every day!) The modern day technology lets you to carry your riding experience in your hand, in your world – the so called cellular phone, in the name of OLA! Booked an auto, which eventually got delayed and the driver had to cancel himself (Good one, as he dint irritate me, more) due to the travails of traffic in the Singaara Chennai. Having no other options left, I had to wait for a passenger - less auto, that can have its meters work (Travel claim reimbursed by Office and hence, we generally look out for “metered Auto”) and that can “carefully” drop me at my work place! The recent caving in roads, life loss of some Metro Work engineer, is all the point of concern to travel in that area, however. When mind is fuming with lot of volatile things, the HCL started concentrating more, in my poor tummy that I had the refluxes gushing to my brain’s Temperment Zone.
Finally, Mr.Mahendran (Name not changed) as modern parthasaarathy, came with a mask – covered face, in his auto loaded with first aid box , a fire extinguisher and a water bottle holder with water filled bottle. Surprisingly, I never heard the mandatory words, “Extra Fifty Rupees Madam” “Ammaan tholaivu, one way vera, eranothambathu ruva thaa ma “. As I told him the destination, he asked me to sit and started the meter ON! I started noting the Interior of the auto: A Universal pic of Jesus, Vinayak and Mosque, A Bagath Singh photo and some more written in smaller fonts. He never seemed to be irritated with the traffic on the road, not me observing him on and off, as well! Few Brilliant two wheeler drivers who had just then escaped from various circuses were also showing off on the road. And lo, it never bothered him! I should say, I had a calm ride back to office. Half way, the journey, his mobile beeped. He drove the auto to one corner of the road, parked it beyond the yellow border lines, turned and looked at me back, “Ma’am, Two minutes. It’s my sister on line.” Taken aback by his manners and his language, I smiled at him to talk and started looking at the gleaming pride in his face. The gentleness that crowded over his face, the softness in his eyes and the cheerful smile! Oh my, he took me back to the time, when my brother wished me a happy birthday last year! “Ok ma, don’t worry..... I will eat on time....... I am driving. Will drop this passenger and then eat... No no hear nearby...... Money is just an Aid to live life and you and me know, love and good heart is more important. Then why do you talk so...........” To whatever the Sister said the other side; he was responding peacefully and suddenly gave a strong word of promise and hung up the conversation. With lots of apologies, he restarted the engine and the journey. On the way, he again stopped at a hygienic yet a moderate hotel and got a food parcel and continued. He looked at me through the mirror, “Sorry Ma’am. It’s my sister. She was worried of my lunch. It’s time for lunch and hence I promised her that I will buy food for myself. I had to keep up my word, right” And over conversation picked up slowly from promises to practises to divinity to karma and stopped when the three - wheeler reached the gates of my office.
I was just wondering what a person he must be! The journey was like a full course meal to me, that noon. For the starters, an auto with a fire extinguisher and a charger that can charge the passenger’s mobile too! The relishing main course was a take home; Money is Just an AID to live life! Finally, as the desserts, A Word of promise, to whom so ever it is, has to be kept up; though they are near or far. I would always keep telling my parents, “You brought up your son as a good boy. Had it not been that, he would be alive! So, don’t ask me to be Good / Soft spoken etc.”! But, today, I realised, it is because of their good karma, I could witness many good people, not considering the autowala alone, but many other lovely people who give me the unconditional love. Helping someone who is in need will let us to be helped by others when we are in need of. Everything in the world is interconnected and every happening has a reason. When we flow with this law of the universal nature, we are nurtured and can live a quality of life. I started changing my perception towards life and death, people and places, as this realization dawned upon me. Living life is like rowing a boat in an ocean. You have two choices. Tide over the waves or let the waves take you in.  Similarly, fight against the troubles you pass by or surrender yourself to the supreme power that has better plans to rescue you. There are many untold words which I fail to employ to explain the rest of the substance of the conversation. But to me, at the mid of the day, all that is left there to feel, was gratitude.
As I got down, I gave a couple of hundred rupee notes and I was tendered the exact change. This time I was not surprised, because, Money is just an aid to live life!
PS: Actually, there are some good men around the world. And, Men do also carry a feeling called love and affection. It is that they do not know to express it, at the right time in the right way. And when they express, mostly others fail to understand it is love or the routine responsible word. Not all men are bad and Not all women are good!