A Day…...
It started with my daily routine and
I was just preparing myself for the college. It was mere two months into the college and being a day scholar, I used the bus as the mode of conveyance. The sun rays coruscating and extending from dawn. The day was sunny but quite alluring and serene. I reached the stop where our college bus stopped everyday. I saw a man lying there in a meagre condition. Upon seeing me, he called plaintively and asked me for a favour. Though, I wanted to help, I straightaway denied and ignored him for a while, thinking he might be drunk or drugged presumably. Moreover, I wasn’t 'elated' at my past experiences. One being, when I had helped a man who was asking for money, proclaiming that he had lost his purse, and upon giving him the money, the very next week I found him drunk and repeating his performance. It shook me up and I was completely shattered as my trust was broken. This had left a apatheic impression and those snaps were just revolving in front of my eyes. But, after a while, in spite of denying, my inner conscience compelled me to help him. I asked what help he required. He stammered that he had fainted while he was on his way and that he was in scathing pain. I suggested whether I should call the ambulance but he refused vehemently and urged me to inform his son. I rang up his son and informed him about the incident but he was quite a distance away and told me that he would inform a relative - who lived nearby - and that he himself would be reaching the place within an hour. I hadn’t much time left, as the bus would arrive any moment and I had my physics examination as well. I asked him if I could do anything more. He requested for salt-water solution as it might have happened due to a stark variation in blood pressure. I immediately rushed to a shop and brought him some salt and water. Then my bus came and I had no choice but to leave. I could feel the pain which he was suffering but heavy heartedly said, “I have to go, your relatives would be arriving soon. You will be fine”. But what happened at the very next moment I had never imagined of. He touched my feet even while he was lying and said, “You did a lot to me” and blessed me. I resisted and told him that it was my duty. The plethora of emotions which I felt at that instant can’t be expressed in words. Later on, I went to the college and gave my examination.
The story doesn’t end here. After finishing my examination, I went home and called his son. After hearing his reply, I was completely shocked and my body started trembling. He informed me that his father is in the ICU due to a major heart attack in the morning. He thanked me and said, “You are next to God for me and my father is alive only because of you”. I was silent for a while and my heart was swelling with emotions. The best thing for me at that moment, was that he was out of danger. I felt happy and wished for his father’s quick recovery.
That day is one of the most precious and memorable day of my life as it taught me a simple lesson, ‘You can’t learn easily’.We often find beggars and other people who ask for money and assistance but what we do? We ignore them, thinking that they might be lying and are oblivious about the fact. But, not all of them are liars! There may be cases where their problem could be genuine. Instead of ignoring them we should change our attitude and inculcate good moral values in us. As our small help and time can not only save a life, but can save an entire family.
‘The greatest distance in the world is just fourteen inches and that is from our heart to our mind and the most difficult part is maintaining the balance between them’. We may have conficts between them, but any of us may need the help of another one day!. We have to feel, think according to the situation and then act .
