She kept on looking through the corner of her eyes, and just when she knew that he is not seeing, she would have a good full look, and enjoy.
This is the story of an old man and a little girl, both of them travelling in a bus, seated in the same row with the aisle in the middle dividing them. The old man noticed for long that the little girl’s eyes are on the beautiful bouquet he is carrying on his lap. And the little girl, she kept on admiring the beauty of the flowers...for long.
In different stops more people got in and a few got out. And there came the stop where the old man had to get out. The bus stopped. The old man got up. He walked straight to the child, and gave her the bouquet, gently put his hand on her shoulder and said...
“...my wife love flowers...and every week I get one like this for her; this one is also for her; but this week I know she will understand and perhaps she will be more than happy if I were to tell her that I offered this to you; have a good day, my child”.
With a gentle smile at those around him, the old man made his way to get out of the bus...and slowly walked straight towards the huge gate that was lying half open...
....he walked past the gate – the gate of a cemetery – where his wife was laid to rest.
I found this story very profound; touching.. and I thought I will share this with you because it may mean something to you just as it meant something to me.
Among the many dimensions you may see as the meaning of this story, one that I find as weighing more is about the broadness of mind and deepness of heart to give ‘that very thing what we value most’ at that moment of giving....; the ability to give not what we would never need again, but the willingness to give what you may still want or would like to still use but considers more the noble and serene pleasure of experiencing a moment of happiness in the eyes of the other in that moment of ‘giving’...that simple gesture of fulfilling a piece of dream for the other person.
It is about ‘giving’.
When a Ted Turner or Bill Gates can write away a cheque that can influence the lives of hundreds and thousands of people across the world, perhaps there is a little bouquet of something that we all are carrying on our lap that may make a difference for someone less privileged who’s travelling with us in this journey of life...as we walk towards the huge gate...!
Sometimes.... just sometimes... it may be as simple as a smile... or a nod of acknowledgement... than the cold face of ‘indifference’ the material world has so well adapted as a norm of ‘secured’ life.
Shahir
(This article was written on January 23, 2009)
