I am usually a reluctant person to give a lift when some stranger asks for it, and to be honest most of the time my reluctance is fueled by the looks of the person or the concern about my own driving. I really do not want to put anyone into risk because of what others complain as my rash driving.
In the recent learning, I understood the importance of being kind and devised one of my daily goals as showing kindness to at least one stranger everyday.
This particular incident happened last week when I was returning home from the local grocery involving a respectable old man. I was zipping through the road crossing this Old man and there I heard a feeble sound of request for a lift in my bike. I halted few feet away(thanks to the brake system in my bike) and signed at the old man to climb on the bike. Once exchanging pleasantries, the old man thanked me for stopping by and explained the ordeal he was going through for the past one hour because of non-availability of public transport at that time. I was happy that my daily goal of being kind to a stranger is achieved and felt content for helping a old man. While alighting at his destination, the old man gave his heartfelt thanks and blessed me saying "God Save You", I thanked him for his blessing though I mocked the Gods for I believe they are never going to come for my rescue and I am on my own.
I continued with my shopping and started driving back home, fortunately I wasn't driving really fast nor was driving slow. While at a junction, I was shocked to see a kid riding his cycle and heading towards me trying to cross the road. All my driving skills were put into action but my bike refused to halt immediately and little did the kid notice me and bang!!! we collided.
I managed to balance but the poor kid along with his little brother went crashing down on the street and they both fell down, bystanders came to his rescue and we managed to get the kids up and check for injuries. Fortunately, they were not injured(at least on the outside) but their cycle was heavily damaged and my bike suffered little damage.
While returning to home, all that was filled in my mind was the blessing of the old man, the accident and the mental state of the kids. After returning home, I told my mother about the accident, about the old man's blessing and mocked at how the gods failed to fulfill his blessing. My mother patiently waited for me to finish and then said "it is the blessing and gods who saved you and the kids from any major causality". Though I first saw it as an defensive statement, that moment triggered a debate whether it was luck or blessing that something major was averted and...
the debate continues....
-Prasaanth
In the recent learning, I understood the importance of being kind and devised one of my daily goals as showing kindness to at least one stranger everyday.
This particular incident happened last week when I was returning home from the local grocery involving a respectable old man. I was zipping through the road crossing this Old man and there I heard a feeble sound of request for a lift in my bike. I halted few feet away(thanks to the brake system in my bike) and signed at the old man to climb on the bike. Once exchanging pleasantries, the old man thanked me for stopping by and explained the ordeal he was going through for the past one hour because of non-availability of public transport at that time. I was happy that my daily goal of being kind to a stranger is achieved and felt content for helping a old man. While alighting at his destination, the old man gave his heartfelt thanks and blessed me saying "God Save You", I thanked him for his blessing though I mocked the Gods for I believe they are never going to come for my rescue and I am on my own.
I continued with my shopping and started driving back home, fortunately I wasn't driving really fast nor was driving slow. While at a junction, I was shocked to see a kid riding his cycle and heading towards me trying to cross the road. All my driving skills were put into action but my bike refused to halt immediately and little did the kid notice me and bang!!! we collided.
I managed to balance but the poor kid along with his little brother went crashing down on the street and they both fell down, bystanders came to his rescue and we managed to get the kids up and check for injuries. Fortunately, they were not injured(at least on the outside) but their cycle was heavily damaged and my bike suffered little damage.
While returning to home, all that was filled in my mind was the blessing of the old man, the accident and the mental state of the kids. After returning home, I told my mother about the accident, about the old man's blessing and mocked at how the gods failed to fulfill his blessing. My mother patiently waited for me to finish and then said "it is the blessing and gods who saved you and the kids from any major causality". Though I first saw it as an defensive statement, that moment triggered a debate whether it was luck or blessing that something major was averted and...
the debate continues....
-Prasaanth
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