Wednesday, June 17, 2009

I'm fortunate!

Sunday last, after a luxurious two-day sojourn with a brother who also stays in Pune, I was returning home, a well-rested and comforted man! My mind was filled with a list of official chores that would attack me the next day, it being an ominously manic monday. (Forgive me for not capitalizing the m of monday, which I reckon is reasonable enough not to have been done)

The late evening rush on the road was now a long, slow, snaking line, of many desperate ones trying to edge the other out, in the quest to reach their destiny faster!

On one such traffic stop, thanks to the never ending I-want-to-jump-that-damned-red-light, I waited in patience listening to Unforgiven of Metallica, oddly wondering if I was actually one of those unforgiven ones fighting a constant battle against the odds and frantically demanding Nirvana, as a recompense for a seemingly not-so-rewarding life!

No sooner did I let that thought utilize a fraction of a moment longer than what was necessary, or not perhaps, a small boy of eight years something presented himself to me with a smiling face and an outstretched hand!

Instantly, I wondered how fortunate I was, being myself and having had the luxury of spending a good weekend, quality time, Et al! It took a moment more to shake myself out of the thoughtful slumber, fish out my wallet from which I dug out a certain denomination of the Indian currency and handed it out to the waiting recipient!

You should have seen the look on his face! Off he dashed, smiling to himself and I was left with a few more numbers on the now rapidly decreasing ticker of the traffic signal. Moments later, he reappeared, with what seemed to me a small family, in tow, as if to collectively express gratitude towards my minuscule gesture! I smiled at them heartily and was off in a moment, about to lose myself in the suddenly massive out pour of travellers who were now tasting freedom, relieved from the clutches of what was a terrible impediment to their otherwise smooth travel!

As for me, I was lost in thought, wondering how privileged I was, a very stark opposite of that poor kid on the road! So much for the wantons of the mind and its singsongs, and as the old adage goes - after the incident, even the fool is wise, this time the crime being slipshod wanderings of the supposedly thinking mind!

Not suprisingly, I shifted the soundtrack, to Dido's reassuring voice singing Thank You, ensuring that it was not the Stan version by Eminem!

Bloody hypo-freaking-crite, my mind thought of itself!

47 comments:

  1. Oh yes, we all, err I mean few of us do come across that how hypo-freaking-crite stage but what ALL that outstretched come across all this while is beyond any comprehension...

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  2. Im being called a hypocrite right now and my current post is abt that. But I wont deny that title..cos which human isnt a hypocrite ha! :)

    Keshi.

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  3. good to introspect in traffic jams rather than indulge in road rage :)

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  4. Beautiful post :) I am fortunate too.

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  5. They don't call a man hypocrite Rak...Hypocricy, thy name is woman! :)

    anyway, nice to see more joining in...it only shows our helplessness, most of the time :)

    wishes,
    devika

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  6. The only moral taught by my dad to us as kids: "is to be humble, modest and be content with what you have. At any point in you life, if you feel inferior, look around you with eyes wide open. You would smile with the kind of life you enjoy"

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  7. Sometimes I feel the same and think is this fair? Now I know there is no simple answer to that question, but stiil..

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  8. yes..we r all hypocrites :D
    but realising it is the first step in rectifying it :)

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  9. Nice post! As long as we have the right perspective, life will be beautiful :)

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  10. After the incident, even a fool is wise - :-) that was a gem of a quote!! Relativity rules - for some people, having food itself is happiness but for some people only having food from a five star hotel is happiness!!

    Destination Infinity

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  11. Nice blog!...

    am also happy to see a naattukaran on blog!

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  12. hmmm could really relate how u felt in that situation....
    have faced the same and not in traffic jams but last month during my visit to mysore...it was in the train where i saw this little girl....

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  13. Hi Rakesh! Wonderful post! Sometimes it's just a small detail that gives you the dimension of your destiny!

    Blogtrotter has a moved to another country on its 250th post. Enjoy and have a great Sunday!

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  14. This was an amazing story... very nice indeed. I lived out on the streets as a little girl for a while so it is so wonderful when gestures as of these are done.
    I am glad you have felt such awareness as well.

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  15. I generally make the child eat in front of me...

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  16. i soo like dido i tell you.. white flag is my all time favourite... :)

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  17. Seldom do we realize that and still we are hungry for more.

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  18. Vee

    Yes, we all do indeed! As for me, I intend to learn a thing or two from it and build a better life, better in the mind firstly!

    Rakesh

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  19. Keshi

    Oh yeah? U wanna tell me who it is? Well, maybe not coz we dont want people's heads rolling do we? ;) JK
    Anyhow, dont U worry! U've heard of the bad guys badmouthing about the good folks eh? Ur case is the same

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  20. Magiceye

    Yes Sir, traffic jams are indeed a wonderful to to look into oneself! I'm often surprised at what the mind throws back at such times!

    Rakesh

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  21. Srini

    Thanks very much for your visit and comment! Appreciate it!

    Rakesh

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  22. Devika Chechi

    Well well, I dunno! Sometimes I wonder, and then again, I wonder if I have to ever wonder and wander!
    We are all so very helpless, aren't we?

    Rakesh

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  23. Vimmuu

    Which is perhaps why our Parents are the very best teachers we have ever had and will ever have!
    More importantly, that is exactly what we need to be to our children as well

    Rakesh

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  24. Mohsin

    I know! A lot of things are very unfair, but there is little we can do about it!

    Rakesh

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  25. Praveen

    Some comfort I get reading your comment!

    Rakesh

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  26. AJ

    Thanks pal! I pray that many more such instances come up!

    Rakesh

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  27. Gerimox

    Thanks a bunch! Thanks also for visiting and leaving me a comment!
    Quite right you are about the perspective part!

    Rakesh

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  28. Anjana

    I agree! But for that occasion, I preferred the usual version!

    Rakesh

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  29. DI

    Yeah, relativity rules!

    I wonder how commendable it will be to note that every person living has the luxury of three full meals a day apart from basics of course!

    Rakesh

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  30. Ifthikaar

    Thanks very much for visiting! It certainly is a cheer to see a naattukaaran!

    Rakesh

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  31. Rakesh

    Its quite sad isn't it, to see people homeless and without food!
    Perhaps thats the worst of all scourges!

    Rakesh

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  32. Gil

    Thanks much! Rightly said, a small detail gives one the dimension of one's destiny!

    Rakesh

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  33. Michele

    Am very glad that U liked this piece! I feel so very satisfied in offering help to the needy!
    Pray that God gives me more instances of such kind!

    Rakesh

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  34. Phoenix

    Me too! It is among the best! ;)

    Rakesh

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  35. Survivor

    Quite true! One only realizes the value of something that one does not possess or has lost!

    Rakesh

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  36. "We are all so very helpless, aren't we?"

    But we can always help ourselves...in some way or other!

    The world -- sometimes that needs to be set aside...most of the time, I cannot...thats my problem :))

    wishes,
    devika

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  37. Devika Chechi

    Quite true and so goes the saying "God helps those who help themselves."

    Cheers

    Rakesh

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  38. Rakesh, hypocrisy can never be left out, we are a race known for the worst politics, so it is in our blood- but off this topic-

    Somehow I love the Stan version of Dido, Eminem also raps too well with that tune. No matter what other people say there was a time when I could come out of a very hard phase only because of slim shady. I honestly thank him for that.

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