A lesson in humanity.

There is an elderly man that i meet on my way to the station from home. I am on very good terms with him and we talk very often.

Though on and off I had come across incidents where I would find him calling an ambulance for an injured dog lying on the road or sharing his lunch with the street kids some afternoon. I didn’t know that someday I would look upto him as an epitome of humanity.

Every morning he comes to greet me at the auto stand and we exchange pleasantries. One day when he came to wish me, he was exceptionally happy. I could make that out from his face. Before I could ask him the reason for the same, he immediately told me that his eldest son is engaged to be married in next month. I congratulated him and then he started telling me about his would-be-daughter-in-law. That’s when I came to know that his would-be-daughter-in-law belonged to a different religion. Given the fact that he himself was a very religious person it was very obvious for me to ask if he was happy with this match. And trust me his answer shocked me.

He told me “I am more than happy for my son. He is getting married to someone whom he loves and who loves him in return. She is a very nice girl from a decent family with a proper upbringing. What more could you ask for.” What he said next was an eye opener. He said “Love is the feeling that just develops and you don’t have any say in that. It’s something as natural as breathing. You can’t force yourself to love someone. I know these days, everyone tries to understand the caste, creed, family background etc etc before falling in love with a person. But then that’s what you do when you are out to buy any commodity. Love is not a commodity. And incase this is the way you find love than I am sorry to say that’s not love. It’s a business (a sauda). And remember “Pyar main sauda nahi hota.”

He smiled and left as i got into the auto. But whatever he said left a very strong impression on my mind. What is that this person who is not even educated beyond a 10^th class could understand love so deeply and we equipped with all our degrees couldn’t understand this basic fact of our lives. How many times have we been compassionate towards our other fellow human beings leave alone towards an animal lying on the road? And how many times have we analysed love in the manner in which he did?

Its true…….God teaches us lessons in various forms and I learnt a beautiful unforgettable lesson in humanity and love from this “Chacha” as I fondly call him!