Hello Members,
I had to recently travel to my native for my cousin's wedding. Being the festive season in Kerala - the travel crowd is very huge in this season. People from all corners of the country travel to this paradise for the Onam Season.
We returned back on Sunday, and had to rush to the Rlwy station as we were already late. It was just my dad, mom and myself returning from my native. We somehow managed to get the tickets in morning reservation and when the train arrived ....
Dad and myself were holding the luggage and searching for space. It was crowded and we kept walking from one compartment to the other in search of place. Finally we came to a compartment and we saw that a lady was neatly lying down with hands and legs stretched and sleeping. Her husband was sitting next to her, and there was little place to his left. When he saw us coming,, he occupied that place by keeping his bag. I was so angry at this act..and I asked him to move a bit so that my mom or dad could sit. I could not bear to see my mom & dad standing for a long time. He argued with me stating that he has reserved the entire seat for himself, and he does not want to wake his wife up. I got even more angry and I asked him "Nothing will hurt you if you give some space for my mother to sit!" in a very angry tone. And I asked my mom to sit there for a while until I search for another place. Meanwhile Dad adjusted to stand near another seat.... and I was ... worried to see them both struggling. One elderly person near this couple's place, got up and offered his seat for me.. I felt bad and told him I can stand. But he moved a bit in the front and gave me little place to sit. He said "Daughter, dont hurt your feet. Moreover people walking to & fro..may have intentions to simply disturb you. Please sit." He & his wife offered me a little place. I was moved. I was still angry with the couple...
After a while when the couple moved out, the old parents also got of the train... and I learnt that - The lady, was just operated recently for Brain tumour, and her whole left side body was paralyzed. Her husband did not want to keep telling every single person that his wife is sick, as she cried each time anyone looked at her with sympathy.
And the old parents who gave me space to sit..was none other than this lady's parents.
I had tears running out of my eyes.
After all - I could have shut my mouth by not hurting them or looking very hard at them. Had I been calm... I would have observed things around and noticed a wheel chair folded next to the seat.
Sometimes in life we misunderstand people because they are silent about their pain. They dont tell it to us...so it tends people to take them for granted. Like how I did.
At work too - if someone is upset or silent or behaves differently, lets wait to find the real reason before we shout at them or even ..make them feel more miserable.
I felt ashamed... the whole journey I was thinking about "What would life be if you cannot feel the other side of your body....and what a loving husband. He did not want anyone to know that his wife was sick...so protective..so loving. And the aged parents...how loving they were to someone who got angry at their sick daughter?"
I felt like I received a slap on my face by their act of love & kindness
and I felt that no materialistic gift can compromise the love of that husband for his wife. And the best part was...she was asleep, not knowing how much her husband...cares for her
Dear all...This Onam is different for me. Happy Onam to you all & wish you a prosperous year ahead!
I had to recently travel to my native for my cousin's wedding. Being the festive season in Kerala - the travel crowd is very huge in this season. People from all corners of the country travel to this paradise for the Onam Season.
We returned back on Sunday, and had to rush to the Rlwy station as we were already late. It was just my dad, mom and myself returning from my native. We somehow managed to get the tickets in morning reservation and when the train arrived ....
Dad and myself were holding the luggage and searching for space. It was crowded and we kept walking from one compartment to the other in search of place. Finally we came to a compartment and we saw that a lady was neatly lying down with hands and legs stretched and sleeping. Her husband was sitting next to her, and there was little place to his left. When he saw us coming,, he occupied that place by keeping his bag. I was so angry at this act..and I asked him to move a bit so that my mom or dad could sit. I could not bear to see my mom & dad standing for a long time. He argued with me stating that he has reserved the entire seat for himself, and he does not want to wake his wife up. I got even more angry and I asked him "Nothing will hurt you if you give some space for my mother to sit!" in a very angry tone. And I asked my mom to sit there for a while until I search for another place. Meanwhile Dad adjusted to stand near another seat.... and I was ... worried to see them both struggling. One elderly person near this couple's place, got up and offered his seat for me.. I felt bad and told him I can stand. But he moved a bit in the front and gave me little place to sit. He said "Daughter, dont hurt your feet. Moreover people walking to & fro..may have intentions to simply disturb you. Please sit." He & his wife offered me a little place. I was moved. I was still angry with the couple...
After a while when the couple moved out, the old parents also got of the train... and I learnt that - The lady, was just operated recently for Brain tumour, and her whole left side body was paralyzed. Her husband did not want to keep telling every single person that his wife is sick, as she cried each time anyone looked at her with sympathy.
And the old parents who gave me space to sit..was none other than this lady's parents.
I had tears running out of my eyes.
After all - I could have shut my mouth by not hurting them or looking very hard at them. Had I been calm... I would have observed things around and noticed a wheel chair folded next to the seat.
Sometimes in life we misunderstand people because they are silent about their pain. They dont tell it to us...so it tends people to take them for granted. Like how I did.
At work too - if someone is upset or silent or behaves differently, lets wait to find the real reason before we shout at them or even ..make them feel more miserable.
I felt ashamed... the whole journey I was thinking about "What would life be if you cannot feel the other side of your body....and what a loving husband. He did not want anyone to know that his wife was sick...so protective..so loving. And the aged parents...how loving they were to someone who got angry at their sick daughter?"
I felt like I received a slap on my face by their act of love & kindness
and I felt that no materialistic gift can compromise the love of that husband for his wife. And the best part was...she was asleep, not knowing how much her husband...cares for her
Dear all...This Onam is different for me. Happy Onam to you all & wish you a prosperous year ahead!