Be that reason

It's incredible, how an absolute stranger can lift up your spirits and enliven you.

I have been extremely sick for last 3 days now. Taking 3 days of leave and knowing that tomorrow would make it 4 in a row, after having completed only 3 months in an organisation qualifies the term 'extremely sick' I guess. Today was worse- I didn't have anyone around to help. So in the evening, out of sheer helplessness, I decided to walk up to the ENT specialist's clinic that my doctor had referred me to this morning, collect my blood test reports from the diagnostic center and buy the prescribed medicines from the medical store. For clarity sake alone, all of these places are in the vicinity of my house. However, when you have fever and severe throat pain giving you company in walking, you feel like the puller of a hand rickshaw in Calcutta on an endless journey with two lethal customers accompanying you! This was my struggle story of the day.

Now the happy one- The medical store was my last stop before finally getting home. I was already gasping for breath and stopping at several places after collecting my blood reports from the diagnostic center. By the time I reached the medical store, I was completely enervated. Strangely enough, no one seemed to notice despite so many people swarming the store. All the store guys were busy attending to customers and I was (despite the agitation and exhaustion) patiently waiting for my turn. Suddenly, the gentleman standing next to me gave me a warm smile and I smiled back. He was a Sardar in his sixties perhaps- quite fit and well dressed for his age. He sensed that I was in bad shape and very politely asked- 'you look unwell?' I replied, 'yes, I am running a high fever and have a severe throat pain', to which he remarked, 'the weather is quite bad these days'. Although I am not someone to indulge in small talks often, I couldn't stop myself from asking him- 'how about you?' after seeing the bulk of medicines he was getting billed. To which, he replied with a gentle smile by placing his hand on the left side of his chest- 'I have given it to someone and now it hurts'. I couldn't help but smile at that achingly beautiful expression. Just before he left the store, he wished me a speedy recovery and here I am writing my first post of 2016.

"Be the reason someone smiles today"- I was reminded of this quote after returning home this evening. I realised the enormous power we are all blessed with to be able to make a difference in someone's life, if only we cared enough. 

Cheers to that power!