Human stature

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved." HELEN KELLER

 “Human ego respects a person of stature” It said that a person of stature is respected, valued and the whole world is polite and kind. I wondered what stature here was. I understood that people do not respect any other human being for what the person is but they respect their position, their wealth, their beauty, their power and their achievements and accomplishments.  

It suddenly reminded me of my drive to Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium. Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium is a newly built stadium which was inaugurated with the IPL games. We drove to the place searching for a property site which had commenced building a series of apartments on the sprawling grounds near the stadium.  The stadium is near to Mumbai Pune highway. The drive was a pleasant one on a winter afternoon. As we were nearing I found the roads growing less crowded and finally we were all alone on the long stretch with tall grass on both the sides of the road. There were two roads ahead with one leading to the site where I could see the weary workers drooling over the unfinished expanse of a new building on the property site. On the other side a little ahead was the stadium standing forlorn and abandoned with not a soul stirring by.

My husband stopped and questioned me as to where I intended to go. Impulsively I pointed towards the road leading to the stadium. I had seen the stadium several times in the evening flood lights as it stood magnificent when we were returning back from Mumbai. I had also witnessed the construction but today the gleam and the appeal was missing but I sought to go in the vicinity of it. My husband drove me straight in to the stadium. He was well versed with the roads due to the presence of a chemical factory whose exports had been looked into as a part of his official duties during his tenure.  We finally reached the road leading to the stadium. It was hot with three guards sitting at the gateway. They were perhaps resting. They said there were closed circuit televisions and wouldn’t allow us in. We some how managed to convince that we intended to click a couple of photographs. They allowed us and asked us to come back on the 22nd and 23rd of December when cricket match for Ranjhi trophy would be played. We agreed and came out of another exit to see a part of a village with a crude mud road leading towards the village.

As we kept looking around we saw an old lady carry a lamb in her arms. She was old and a little bent with the hardships of life and aging. I stood and looked at her in admiration. The lamb was heavy but she had the empathy within her to feel for its twinge. I stopped her as I clicked a photograph for the blog. She gave me one of her best beaming smiles. I admired her for what she was as she led a meaningful and an eventful life of benevolence and thoughtfulness for the erstwhile. I was also reminded me of the affluent in our settlement who worked out their dogs lugged to the scooter handle as they ride their scooters. It is an excruciating sight. But here was a villager who in all probability must have been an illiterate with contemplation far beyond the literates and cultured which made her stand apart in significance with positive reception, respect and glory to her stature of human status. It was implicit that it was not the position, splendour or accomplishment but it was the exquisiteness of the character, the deeds of a person which motivates a person respect the other person. I remembered several instances and found that each time I have respected the person with a rich disposition and integrity of conviction.

  “Fame is a vapour, popularity an accident, riches take wing, and only character endures."