Suburban Train

Dear One,

Sometimes truth reveals itself  in odd settings. It happened to me today. I was coming back home in a suburban train after a long day's work and so were hundreds of people like me. We were a common breed of people caught in some distorted reality or the other trying to bring sense to an otherwise senseless life. We took pride that we were the bread winners of our families, and we worked tirelessly to fulfill our responsibilities.

The train passed through many stations; many new faces joined us and many left. Yet, all of us remained absorbed in distant oblivion. Although everyone pretended to be engrossed, our faces bore the same dull expression of eternal discontent. It bore a question of expectation, of a better tomorrow and of a troubled past. We had forgotten to live in the present.

As the train halted at a station an old sightless beggar woman boarded the train. She approached everyone with her wrinkled palms asking for a pice or two. Some feigned to be busy but many just chose to ignore her. Yet, she patiently went about doing her daily routine. She came and stood before me with her old hands out-stretched hoping to be rich by a rupee or two. My hands reached for the pocket as I glanced at her face.

What I saw, was a face filled with sublime serenity and resignation. A face filled with quiet dignity and repose. With no trace of complaint against the cruel twist of fate, she bore an unfaltering gait filled with resolute  confidence. A toothless smile rested on her calm face that seem to ask "Do not pity me. I might be poor by your standards, but I am rich nevertheless. What about you?"

I was filled with remorse and shame. Here I was, a young hearty man, with a life of relative ease. And there she was, a blind old destitute whose each day was like a dark moonless night. Despite her crippling infirmity, she possessed something that most of us don't have...A contended and a thankful heart.

She was blind just in her eyes. Unfortunately we are blind in our souls.