I missed my school bus that day. It was a cozy winter morning with the sun slowly showing it's bright face. The roads were almost empty as it was an early morning, only some milkmen and school children with heavy backpacks could be seen. I loved the weather around which seemed to beam with colors of nature. I knew I had to get back home soon enough, but that day seemed to be waiting for me since a long time. "Will go back after an hour" I thought to myself. I had an urge to explore the streets.
I started to walk wherever my eyes could see and which ever road seemed more beautiful. I had just changed two to three streets when somebody touched my shoulder. I turned back and saw an old woman, maybe she was in her late sixties. She was carrying two large bags in her hand and there was also a bundle of some dry looking sticks and firewood in her head. "Son, can you please help me in carrying the bags? I live nearby but I feeling too weak today to carry these. Can you please help me?" Her words were so gentle and calm that I almost agreed to help. She smiled and said "What are you thinking son?". The world is full of fake people and I couldn't just go and help anyone blindly, I thought to myself, I didn't answer and kept walking. I frequently turned back to see the lady. She was struggling with all those heavy load but whenever I saw her, there was that constant smile on her face.
I couldn't resist and went to help her." Please give me something to carry, I will help" I said. Still smiling she gave me one of her large bags in her hand. " I knew you would help " she said. I smiled at her somehow. We started walking together. "Why didn't you go to school?" she asked looking at my school uniform. "I missed my school bus today" I replied. "Oh, so were you going back home? Did I disturb you?" she asked looking a bit worried. "No, no I just thought to take a stroll around." "Seems you are enjoying nature? It's a good thing to see the world around you." she said. " Who else is there in your house?" she asked again. "My mom and dad" I said. Throughout the whole journey she kept on talking and speaking about every little thing. "And who else is there in your house?" I wanted to know. "A beautiful cow, a cute puppy you will love to see and me" She replied calmly smiling. I smiled at her. One thing which was constant was her smile. A simple yet powerful one.
After about five minutes of walking we reached her house. It was a small area, with a cow standing in her shed chewing cud. There was tender green grass all around and there were some beautiful flowers and some plants at random places. The leaves of the plants and the grass had little drops of dew all over them. The place looked beautiful yet simple. At the corner was a small room where I guessed the old lady lived. It was made up of bricks which were only plastered together and the roof oh the house was made of mud tiles. As I went close to it a small, fat and very cute looking puppy pounced on me and started licking my foot. "Jim loves the people who visits our house." She said. I followed her inside. It a small room but efficient enough for a single person to live comfortably. I placed the bag on the floor. "Welcome home" she said smiling.
"So do you like it here?" she asked. "The place is beautiful" I said. The old lady asked me to sit on an old bench which was kept outside. I sat there taking some fresh breeze as Jim came to me. I picked him up in my hand. His body was soft and I could feel his breathing. The little creature was so cute that I wished to take him with me. The cow in the shed occasionally mooed. There where little birds around singing and playing. The morning atmosphere seemed amazing. The lady came out with a metallic glass in her hand and offered it to me."Have some milk son. The bag was really heavy." she said. I smiled but couldn't say no. The warm milk tasted like nectar in that cold morning. I sat there looking around and sipping the milk. The lady went to give the cow some more cud to chew. "Don't you have any children? " I asked suddenly. She smiled again and came to me.
"Yes, I had a little girl. Her name was Pooja. We had a small and happy family years ago.But there was one unfortunate day when She went with her father to another city. There was huge traffic and my daughter Pooja was hit by a car, trying to save her, my husband got seriously hurt and became crippled for life. He passed away five years ago." She stopped and the asked with that same calm smile in her face "Do you want some more milk?" "No, thanks...I am really sorry to hear this" I said. "This is the way life is, you have to accept it. You shouldn't be sorry" she said as I handed her the glass.
She came out within a few minutes with some home made sweets. I said I was full and didn't want them but she forced me to have some. Then She continued, "The time when my husband passed away, I had no money so I decided to come here and struggle to find or do some work.I could have been a beggar but I chose this and I am really happy. Why should someone beg when God has given me all the things I need." She said smiling. "First I didn't know what to do, so I sold berries which I plucked from the woods. Then Slowly when I had money I bought this cow. I sold milk and then I started making sweets, people like my sweets so I now sell sweets and milk to make my living for the day." She said giving Jim a biscuit to eat. "I found this dog from the roadside, his mother was probably no where and it kept crying. I watched it since two days and then finally brought it home. Fed him, he was very weak that time." I was amazed to see how a woman who had not even enough money for three square meals a day, brought a dog home and fed it. How she welcomed me as her guest and made me feel home like. The people who had money and boasted their status were no match for her generosity. The thing which had made me her admirer was her smile. After so much of hardships and struggles in life she was still there smiling as if challenging life. How could she be so calm and quiet?
That day I learn't something to be a good human you don't need money, To be generous you don't need money, to be at peace you don't need money. Happiness is only a state of mind. And even if life upsets you, you can still stand strong to fight it back.
I bid goodbye to her as I touched her feet.She blessed me with that smile "May you go very far in life, May you be remain a good person as you are today, forever." she said touching my head. "Keep visiting me often, to give me some company." she said as she waved her hands. "Of course I will be here again", I said smiling.
I walked back to my home as my heart said to me, "Keep smiling, It costs nothing!"
