Moments in Life - Kalai Selvi Arivalagan (the read aloud family txt) 📗

On a weekend, we went for our usual shopping. After shopping, I always bought an ice-cream for my daughter. But, I never bought one for me.  On that day, I bought one more. ‘Ma, it’s a surprise, you wanted to eat an ice-cream.’ My daughter exclaimed with joy. I just smiled at her. Though my started to taste her cone ice-cream,  I was just holding mine in my hand.

We climbed down the steps of the shop. A small boy stretched his little hand expecting me to give him some coins. I could see his eyes eagerly looking at the cone on my hand.  Without a second thought, I gave him the ice-cream. The dirty little hand clutched it with a delight. But he didn't eat it.  He screamed to another little girl who sat along with her mother on the pavement.

‘See what I got.’ With the cheerful tone, the little kid showed it to his sister. 'We will share'  Those words told me happiness cannot be bought with money, but with love and care.

He made my day!

Every day after office, I made it as a routine to visit the nearby temple.  At that time of evening, there will be no crowd and I could pray at peace.

While going through the sanctum, I heard a vibrant voice that was full with hope and dreams for a brighter future. I saw an young man who kept on wishing the best for their future to his mother. He would always be there along with his old mother. The young man’s voice vibrated a cheerful tone and it really had the power to bring a change.

When I went there again the next day, I gave him a ten rupee note. With a smile he received it from me. It took a while for me to realize that his right hand was crippled.

In spite of his disability he always talked about helping others. It was just like a reminder to me from God. Always do your best and help others. Isn’t it?

It was raining heavily outside. Without blinking, I looked at the moving wipers on the windshield. The bus buzzed through the heavy traffic inch by inch. 

Tired passengers inside the bus shifted their position to relax their limbs for a while. Though it was cold outside, it was stuffy and suffocating inside, as all the shutters were closed.

Numerous thoughts went inside my head. That moment gave me an insight of my life.

‘Right, right,’ the cheerful conductor signaled the driver to move further. Surprisingly, it looked like a god sent signal approving me to go ahead in my efforts.

 There are moments when everything goes against you and you are made a scape goat.  This definetely tells you that you are going through a bad phase in your life.

The best thing to do is to keep your mouth shut.  It may sound foolish if I tell accept and move ahead.  But that can do wonders.  It will bring relief to your mind and let you focus on the other important things in life.

"If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."

Text: Kalai Selvi Arivalagan
Publication Date: 08-18-2010

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
To the people who changed my outlook toward life.