The Old Lady on the Street and Life in less than 60 seconds

An unbelievable experience I went through yesterday. Even today, I can not believe if what I heard yesterday was really true. We ought to learn so much from so many people. In fact, we learn the most from the ones who we least expect from. Yesterday was just impossible equation.

My brains juggled as I spoke to a lady standing on one of Bangalore most posh roads yesterday night. I was taking off my vehicle from the parking and she said, "Beta, jara madad karo" meaning, "Dear, please help me". I smiled and inquired what she wanted. She had a bandage on one eye and she said that she had been waiting for an auto from almost half an hour and nobody stopped. After all, the RCB vs SRH (IPL6) match had just gotten over and autos were in huge demand. She was unable to move, due to her lofty physique, and I starting waving hands at autos that almost fled on the road. We struck a conversation and it went something like this (translated to English)

Lady : What do you do?

I did not want to explain all that I do and so, kept it simple : I work nearby

Lady: Achcha, thank you beta. I am sorry I am bothering you so late at night

I : Why are you alone here? I mean, you are so old (60, 70 years). Why don't you get someone with you?

Lady: There is no one. I am alone

I was shocked. I observed the lady even more closely. She was lofty, one of her eye was operated (or missing?) and she had a chair, a fold-able metal chair, in her hand. She definitely looked very normal. Before I could decipher something, I just kept the conversation going, "You mean, you stay alone? Like, your family stays away or?", I didn't know how to ask any further.

The lady took over, "Its a long story beta. I was married to an IAS officer and we were very happy", I was like, WOW, what the heck, as she continued, "We have 10 children", I was searching for my brains now, and then, she had all the shocks, "My husband died of cancer and from then, I am homeless"

It was simply impossible for me to believe. How could this happen? Can life take such a turn in just a moment? I asked, "How about your children?"

She had an arrow hitting my heart right away, "They are all married. Some stay in India, some abroad and I do not contact them because I do not want to be a disturbance in their life. So, I live alone in a PG (paying guest)"

I was like come on, today ain't an April Fool's day though this is April. It was just bouncing over my head. I managed to just peek in a question, "So, you work somewhere nearby?"

She massacred me saying, "Yes, I beg here"

An auto stood by and the autowallah asked, "Where do you want to go?"

The lady got into to the auto, with great difficulty, and I stood there with a completely shattered feeling, with total inability to digest what I had heard. There is such a lesson behind everyone's life. There is story behind everyone looking for help. If we get to know these stories, perhaps, they would inspire us even more than the stories of Gates, Buffets, Jobs, Zucks or Ambanis. The humanity will be put to shame when we learn about these struggles. How can the world be so cruel? Can a moment cause so much disaster that can not be set right in a lifetime?

As I pondered, the auto started and I, without my knowledge, bent down to take the lady's blessings. She had a shine in her eye, perhaps due to a drop of tear, as she said, "Khush Raho Beta (Be happy). God Bless You"

Life, without our loved ones, might just become null and void.