Value & Recognise ~ This week

SALT ~ This week ~Value

Every evening I usually go for a 30 minutes walk. Apart from the health factor here, for Me it means time all for myself. I don't carry anything with me - baggage, emotions, worry, stress or my cell phone :) Its Me with myself. I strongly feel it helps me connect myself better each day and see the small joys of life more closely.

Couple of days back as I was walking, I saw a young girl, must be around 24-25 sitting with a 5 year old boy. That boy was constantly trying to pull her for a game of hop scotch while she seemed to be barely interested. It was clearly visible from her face that she was upset about something and her mind was occupied somewhere else. This child was a distraction to her thoughts. After a lot of futile attempts, that child finally went and sat next to her. He stood on the bench so that he was looking straight into her eyes and said, 'What happened Bua...? Why are you saddy today?' This line brought a smile on her face, she drew him closer and made him sit on her lap,' Nothing. I am so bad na.... everybody hates me.' She said as she made a frown on her face. He giggled,' But I love you...' 'Why?'she inquired. ' Because you are the only one who has time to play with me, read my story books, bring me to park, take me out for ice creams and listen when I want to talk about my school.' Saying this he jumped down from the bench and ran towards the swing nearby.

In life so many times we base our judgements about people on what others think about them. Very rarely we love someone who has been good to us even when that person is bad to others. You feel scared of being associated with such a person for the fear of being given the same tag. This child in all his innocence gave such a beautiful insight into the human psyche. He did not care what the world thought about his Bua (aunt) and loved her for all those small things which she did for him. It truly touched me.

How many times have we spoken to someone nicely after hearing bad things about them? It does pinch us somewhere right? That guilty feeling of talking to someone who is not good publicly. Why? Can we not value that person for how he/she is with us rather than judging it based on someone's view?

Don't we all secretly wish to be accepted for what we are? One misunderstanding or argument with someone else cannot make the person a bad person altogether. Now that I think of it, I actually do know such people around me with whom I have had a wonderful time, whilst people around them thought they were not good enough even to be spoken to. Have you also met such people?

Lesson Learnt : It is always better to form your own opinion about people based on your judgement rather than basing your judgement on others opinion.

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PEPPER ~ This week ~ Recognise

This week I faced a do-or-die situation at office. I had goofed up very badly somewhere and all that could save Me was divine intervention. It is surprising the way we start praying furiously the moment we see trouble approaching us.Same was the case with Me. In that one day I must have remembered Him a zillion times, asking for forgiveness, hoping for a miracle and promising some goodies in return. 

As the day ended the problem also got resolved. I was wrapping up for the day when the thought struck Me, this is not how I wanted it to end. Though I was thankful it did, I was feeling disappointed that it did not go the way I had prayed for so badly.

Honestly I did not know whether to cry or laugh. Cry because my prayers failed or laugh because finally the problem was solved. With very mixed emotions I left for my home. The entire way these thoughts refused to leave my mind. And that is when I decided to analyze it more deeply. 

First check - Accept that there is a problem. Accepted. Second check - Can the problem be resolved? If yes are you aware about the solutions. Yes and yes. Third check - Were you wishing for such a solution? No. I was expecting the problem to simply vanish, which was practically not feasible.

Ok...so here lay the problem. I was expecting something which was practically not possible only. I had fallen from a building and I was expecting a parachute to appear while there was none. Rather as the fall was inevitable I should have prayed for a safe landing. And that is what He gave Me. A safe landing. He did not solve my problem, or make it vanish. Rather He decreased the degree of hurt I could have suffered otherwise. The moment I concluded this I was at relief. My prayers were heard. Though not responded the way I wanted but surely answered.

This is what happens most of times with us. We hope for something and when it does not turn up we feel disappointed rather than thinking maybe we got something which was better than that for us.

Lesson Learnt : God answers ours prayers everytime, only thing is we need to recognise the form in which He has answered it.

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P.S: Writing these Salt & Pepper series has helped Me look deeper into myself and week after week I seem to find something new. If you have any interesting Salt and Pepper moments you would want to share, please feel free to use the picture above and post them on your blog. Do leave your links here in the comments to read.