The day the heart stood still

As a Human Resource person, one has the tendency to become oblivious of grievances around. After all most part of the day is consumed attending these. 




This happened to me during my first job which was in a small village. The village was pretty remote and shot to fame due to operations of this 5 star hotel. The hotel was a major source of livelihood for the villagers. 

Most part of the day was consumed in meeting people, striking chords between village panchayat and the hotel. There was a step well right opposite the hotel entrance. One fine day during my regular trip to the village I happened to locate this young boy sitting on the steps and sobbing. My first impression was to ignore and move on for he so resembled a street urchin who would have lost in the regular child fights. However on second thought I turned round and asked him casually the matter. He continued sobbing. I moved on. And then came a feeble voice, " My mother is unwell and I have no money to feed her". I think I was more moved by the puppy face than the cause. I fumbled in my pockets to give him something to buy groceries but realized I had no money. " Give him 2 plates of daal pakvaan daily and add it to my account", I shouted to the vendor who ran a eatery adjacent to the well. The boy smiled and ran away to collect his earnings for the day. 

The next day I met the boy outside the hotel. He said his mother has expressed a desire to meet me. The hurry that I am always in I waved him off saying sure. And then it became a routine for him to come daily and invite me home. I was too busy to care. After all I had done my bit of social responsibility by providing him free food. Then suddenly this boy vanished. He was no more seen around the hotel. Just to douse my curiosity I asked the eatery owner about the whereabouts of the boy. "He no longer comes to collect the food, his mother died 20 days back and there is no clue of the boy". 

I felt as if I had been stabbed in the chest. Everything stood still and all I could think of were the excited invitations for me to meet his mother. 

That day I realized some things are better late than never. We should take time out to experience the finer things in life.  More often than not we are capable of being a part of simple luxuries but we choose to ignore them. Not that after the incident I have started listening to the my heart always. I still pretend to be busy. But I have improved for sure and am on the track of becoming a better human being if nothing else. 

P.S. This post is written as a part of TBTC initative of Blog adda. 

am too busy to care, but want to do something. Jaago Re and BlogAdda.com are helping me do my bit for the society.