Be brave to stand for what you believe in even if you stand alone― Roy T. Bennett
It was a vibrant evening. The roads were full of people as the holiday season had set in. The winter seemed warm with the bells, stars and God’s blessings. The cakes and pastries were in numerous colourful attractive forms. Moms and Dads were hastily buying some for their little ones as these were the freshest ones this season. Far off at the end of the steps that led to the bakery, there stood a little girl barefooted in a clean blue frock. She wasn’t more than 6 years old for sure, her hair was neatly combed and she was persuading the customers leaving the bakery to purchase the garbage bags that she sold. These bags weren’t very good in their quality so no one purchased them. Just as she was about to move to the next corner, she saw a little girl standing close to the bakery eating a colourful pastry. The little girl waved her garbage bags at the girl who was busy eating. A humanitarian observed them and took the little girl selling garbage bags to the bakery and bought her a chocolate pastry. The little girl thanked the lady and told her, ‘ I will take this to my father who has been hungry since this morning’. The humanitarian nodded, she noticed the little girl rush to the pavement at the crossroads where her father sold lemons. They happily ate the pastry. The woman smiled and walked away. The little girl felt grateful and empathetic for the kind gesture.
As I peered into the distance, my eyes fell upon an elderly woman making her way down the road with slow, deliberate steps. She was elderly, fair, tall and was clad in a sari. It was her usual evening walk but this Christmas evening her family had left her after a month-long Diwali celebration. Every home had a family and plenty of family members as it was winter vacations. She felt the absence of her family. She stopped and took a deep breath. She took out her rosary and started to pray. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she remembered her family but she held those tears in her eyes. She walked to the bench on the pavement and sat over there. Many elderly people were sitting and talking to each other. She listened to them and smiled. She felt a sense of comfort and peace, knowing that she was not alone. She found a lady looking at her in askance and suddenly she said, ‘My daughter has gone back. Let her be safe and happy. The lady smiled at her, they could do nothing about the loneliness but a great sense of courage transcended the ladies. Sharing your thoughts, feelings, and experiences, even if they make you vulnerable, takes courage
Balika worked as a cleaning help in our community, she was our gardener’s wife. She worked hard to provide education to her children and ensure that they did not face the hardships she had experienced. Her children were well-loved and taken care of. When her daughter completed school, Balika supported her to pursue her dream of studying engineering. To make this possible, she sacrificed her dreams and started saving money by taking cleaning jobs in some of the houses in the community. On one of those days, her father-in-law needed her help because he was ill. Her father-in-law was residing in the city of Latur in Maharashtra which was far from Pune. She rushed to Latur, but he seemed unwell for a long time. Balika and her husband were concerned about their children’s education.
They brought their sick father-in-law to Pune. Balika resumed work, but she was under a lot of stress. It was during that time that Balika’s father-in-law collapsed and they had to take him back to Latur for cremation. They had to wait a few days to finish the rituals but suddenly she sensed great pain in her head. Various tests revealed that she had a clot in the brain that was caused by severe anxiety and stress. Balika was prescribed medication and advised to have it operated on for recovery; however, she was unable to recover after the operation, and she passed away the next day. Her daughter Sneha was heartbroken, it was difficult even to think of life without Balika. As the days passed, Sneha decided to take charge of managing the household and balancing her education. She took note of all the tasks her mother used to do and incorporated them into her daily routine. This allowed her to have ample time to focus on her studies while still managing the household effectively. She was determined to make her mother proud and make sure her family was taken care of. Having the courage to face adversity with resilience and determination is truly remarkable as it keeps moving one forward, no matter what obstacles come your way.
A couple of years ago, I noticed an elderly man living in our building who bore a striking resemblance to my late father. Despite it being over a decade since we lost my father, this man reminded me so much of him. The man is old, with grey hair and a crewcut. His staid demeanour and hairstyle led me to observe him frequently. He walks every day at 9:30 am, and then I see him on another walk when I return home in the afternoon. In the evening, at around 6:30 pm, he goes for yet another walk. His walks are so regular that we fear for his health if we do not see him. I often mention to my husband, “I haven’t seen Bappa (Father) today.” My husband would then tell me about him, “Bappa lives alone, and there was someone who would check on him regularly, but they moved away. Now he has been living alone.
I often wondered how he managed his food and chores, but could never find out. He would stand and observe little children and chat with the security guard. It was the second day of Diwali. There were visitors and festivities everywhere. The aroma of delicacies wafted from the houses. Bappa was unwavering in his routine. Every morning, he greeted the security guards with a warm handshake and wished everyone he met a good day. As the sun set, he returned promptly at 6:30 pm, just as the lamps were being lit in all the houses. Sitting on the nearby bench, he watched the lights illuminate the homes with a smile. It was clear that he was reminiscing about his Diwali celebrations back home, and as he closed his eyes, one could only imagine what he was thinking. With courage in his heart, he resumed his evening, never faltering in his confidence.
As we bid adieu to this year, let us take a moment to reflect on our aspirations and the obstacles that have held us back. Everyday life is full of challenges and uncertainties. Confronting our fears requires courage. Courage can manifest in various ways in our daily lives. It’s not always about facing life-threatening situations but can also be the simple things such as overcoming personal fears, standing up for what’s right, or taking risks.
Let us enter the new year with a renewed sense of purpose and a commitment to never give up on what we truly desire.
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