When day breaks and we get out of our comfy beds, with due gratitude we must bow our heads to god for making us fortunate enough to live and relish the laurels of life.
Accustomed to daily routine, everyday we gear up to reach our respective destinations. While a few have some specific end, others merely stray directionless. Meddled in some chores or perhaps just pretending to, every one is busy in a rat race. But even then everything seems so usual, so complete in way…
Life moves at its regular pace for most of us. But, deserts do exist beyond our green pastures; it’s just that they are overlooked by our money-blinded eyes.
For me it was yet another fine day when something bizarre caught my sight.
He was a little kid maybe just a couple of years old, wandering at traffic signal…mopping the cars with a filthy piece of cloth.
It was Delhi in month of June, mercury soaring as high as 46 ‘ C. when we could just think of resting in our air-conditioned rooms, snoozing in our double cushioned beds, and sipping a cold drink or lemonade, that tiny tot was cleaning riches’ big wagons. He was naked feet and cocooned barely in rags.
Sitting in my car I could clearly see those countless dreams brewing in his hopeful eyes, that innocent smile complemented by a placid expression on his face. He literally captured my mind for a while.
As he was moving closer to people, I saw that twinkle brighten in quest of a few coins…which meant world to him.
But then I witnessed the brutal death of his delight. Pitilessly the well-off’s hurried their windows on him. He protested gratuitously to slide down the windowpane, his little fingers got stuck in the gaps, panting to be released, but nobody bothered.
I was wondering at the irony of life. That one coin, which probably holds no value for us, perhaps meant a meal to him. His starving eyes got stuck at a fortunate kid, almost his age, gulping cola and munching chips in his air-conditioned car. Probably he too wants a taste of same…but then who is going to buy him all this??? That’s the fate he was born with!
He was dying every moment!!! Poverty engulfed his every little desire. He was entrapped in this vicious circle for good. His wings were tattered before he could even spread them out. Misfortune snatched his clothes, his shoes, his education and even his life. He fell prey to his own destiny.
All did he knew was to stretch out his hands begging for little money or some food. Disregarded as a lifeless louse by the so called humans, he was fighting every moment for his survival. Born in a ruined shack, he was nurtured by poverty. He might have played with some used toys, discarded by those more fortunate than him.
My heart was brimmed with a strange feeling of empathy for him. It was such a profound feel, I could actually feel his plight.
I was deeply engrossed in my own thoughts when a blaring car horn startled me, calling my attention towards the green signal. The race was on again. Once more, people begun to rush towards their respective ways, paying no heed to that little boy.
Standing aloof under the shade of tree…he was waiting for that green light to turn red again. I was really touched! Barely able to hold my feelings I headed towards him. He looked at me with a big question in his eyes…..Why me?
But I had no answers. I went to him and slipped a few coins in his hand. He said nothing, but left me with a cold blank stare…
