The practice of giving thanks

Dear Readers,

Human beings are complex. I mean, a dog wags his tail furiously when he/she is happy/satisfied. Doesn't a happy dog, in turn, make you feel happy?

Yet, we human beings may appreciate something, say a service, and just keep mum. The bottom line, XYZ was just doing his/her duty.

Hospital stays, whether as an attendant or as a patient always have me thinking. This time, I spent a few days with my father who was undergoing a minor surgery. While with him at the hospital I realised how tirelessly the young doctors work and the nurses and the ward-boys and the administrative staff -- including the lift-men... they work non-stop round the clock till their duty hours are over.

True, a few have learnt the art of avoiding work, but most of them, roll up their sleeves and dive right in.

Life in a hospital is tough. The patients are understandably grouchy, their attendants are tense and also ill tempered. Everyone is quick to complain.

A young doctor was assigned a 24 hour plus shift and she actually came to tell us she was on duty during the night and if need be we could contact her. The lift man stoically bore the brunt of the ire of visitors/attendees as even seven lifts (elevators) could not cope up with the constant stream of people. Yet others were irritated with the watchman who asked them to show their visitors pass. All said and done the underlying motto of each and every staff member was: The patient comes first.

As people streamed out of the lift on their respective floors, only a rare few thanked the lift-man. I guess not many thanked the nurses who came in, attended to the patient and quietly went away.

Yes, as an attendent/caretaker/patient, one isn't in the best of spirits. But just a simple thank you to a well deserving hard working hospital employee would brighten their day and also yours.

Perhaps, we humans need to build the art of saying thank you, in our daily lives. After all, aren't we supposed to be more evolved than our pet dog?

Thank you for reading this post. Your comments as always will be appreciated.

Best,
Lubna

Source of the picture

WHY???

Dear Readers,

I've always asked: Why did a child not go to school? Why did this kid have to live in a shanty town? Why did this kid not have clothes to wear or food to eat? My parents had no proper answer. The answer generally was: Well, if you work hard, you can be whatever you want. Teachers tended to be dumbfounded with my Whys'.

I grew up in a good locality in suburban Mumbai, but yes, down the posh hill there was a shanty town and the poverty was in your face.

I still ask Why? And still I get no answers and have no answer myself.

Today, I went for a gentle walk along Chowpatty beach (instead of my usual brisk walk/jog -- which I am still not strong enough to undertake) and had time to observe.

1) A child not more than 9 years old was part of the team that took other kids on buggy rides. He pushed a car while two other kids seated in the car, little less than his age, clapped and cheered and had a blast. Why? Why could he not be sitting in that car instead of pushing it?

2) A girl not more than seven was selling balloons to kids the same age than as her. Well, their purchases brought a smile to her face. But then again, my Why remains unanswered.

3) Another toddler helped his father sell glowing spheres (I wonder what they really are). The father threw them in the air to attract attention and the toddler ran and picked them up and brought them back.

If these kids weren't employed as such, things could perhaps be worse for them. At least I these kids even if toiling away, seemed healthy and seemed happy. They had each other to rely on.

Why does such inequality exist? If I were not born in a good home, would I be as educated and privileged as I am today? I think not.

If you have any answers to my Why! please comment. If you don't have the answer, and I bet you don't please do something about it, even if it is a teeny-weeny something.

As a few guys appeared on the scene with the latest digital camera's around their necks (there is lots to photograph at Chowpatty), I couldn't but help notice how many mouths could have been fed given the price of the camera. I had to block these thoughts. Inequality exists. Such is life.

Meanwhile, take a look at the right hand side bar of this blog for NGOs I respect, admire and support. One of them is Humane Touch, Bangalore. It ensures that kids (at least as many as they can help) are schooled, provided vocational training, their mother's given micro finance so that they can earn.

Little drops of kindness, may seem nothing more than a drop of rain on the dry sands of Chowpatty beach, but I'd like to think it makes a tiny difference to someone at least.

Have a nice weekend.
Best,
Lubna