The Blue Jacket Kid

The Blue Jacket Kid, that is what I can call him as I don't know his real name. :) One of those weekends, doing  regular errands while getting into a Walmart noticed this guy with a table doing some fund raising which is not a rare thing here. Just passed by thinking should I look into or shouldn't I. 

As I continued to the entrance saw a little boy standing there alone, holding some papers, who I thought was waiting for his parents, as I was passing him by I overheard him asking someone 'Do you want to buy a dinner coupon please?' That is when I watched him. A cute little kid, It took a whole minute for me to continue what I was doing. I just stood there watching him. Most of the kids of his age and even elders will choose to stay warm, and have fun and relax on the weekend and now there is this guy. He is not there because may be his dad wanted help. The enthusiasm and approach proved other wise. 

The whole time I was there in the shop, just couldn't stop thinking about this little one who stood there braving the cold, asking each passer by, in spite of people trying to avoid him, and most of them saying no,  chose to help some one, instead of having 'his' fun and being comfortable at home. All this for whom? and what? Some one else benefit? Wow! As I was coming out, I wished that this kid should still be there and wanted to see him. There he was,  in the same place, doing the same. He asked me the question again, with the same level of enthusiasm  I was so glad to have a conversation. You can see him in the pic below one in the blue jacket. That was a last min pic while driving off, bear with that. I was so lost and forgot to take a pic which I usually do.

To the little one, you inspired me today. You made me rethink about what I do. You are the hope of good in this world, You are the hope of a future generation. Keep up the good work. Keep helping and keep inspiring. God bless you.

It's a reminder in this busy life and where 'I' and 'mine' matter, with the little amount of time from the idle away time you have, you can still make a difference. It could be very small, but that same could be a life for some one. All it takes is the willingness to do it.

Last but not least you did inspire to write this blog after years. :) 

Keep the good things coming and make the difference. 

Read more...

I will follow you

One of my friends and I were going to SP Road and as he doesn’t know the way, he was following my scooter on his Bullet :) When we are almost close and the turning is a little complex because of few more turnings there, I started explaining him how to go. Even before I completed it he said ‘I will follow you’.

That is how it started this chain of thoughts. Wondered how confidently he said that. How easily he was able to trust me and believe I can guide his path to the destination. Yeah there are levels of trust again that you can put in a friend but at least here I seem to qualify for this one :) 

To see some negative thinking, What if the person you trust cheats or robs, or if he is taking advantage of the situation and you are at loss? Well we don’t think this way when we are with friends because of the trust and belief we put in them. A Friend being human vulnerable to all kind of negative and wrong things, if we can trust so much and follow……

God the creator and the sustainer of my existence, the potter of my life, the one that never changes asks to follow Him… Hmm I think I want to be on my own and I can take care. Many a time after saying ‘I will follow you’, I don’t really seem to be following. Lack of faith? Loss of trust? Can’t believe He can?  

So is it true that we trust our friends more than God? If no, then is it possible to leave your life and everything related, trusting Him and follow Him in the same way as you do with your friends or with dearest best friend?

Doesn’t seem practical right? Yeah I too feel the same sometimes or rather it is most of the times.

But the fact remains that I am wrong during those times. 

Pary God that He gives me enough strength to believe, trust and have faith. 

Thank you Ashish for the inspiration.  

Read more...

Swanthana - Home for mentally challenged

Last Sunday went on to visit Swanthana along with friends. I don’t know anything about it before I reached there and was expecting to be one more NGO. After a long ride and missing the route as it was guided by one of my friend known for that, Prince are you reading this?, we reached Swantana. It was on the out skirts and has a good looking building well constructed. All the kids were outside lined up in different types of wheel chairs and few sisters carrying babies and everyone was busy in their work, no one to wish or greet.

We all went together and introduced ourselves to the sisters and started conversation and knowing about what they do. They were very friendly and started talking to us and explain about the center. The kids we saw all of them mentally challenged children of various ages.  All have different disabilities and not even any two matches. I was awe-struck by the care the sisters are providing.

This is the only female care center for mentally challenged in the entire Karnataka.  Sis. Rigina was heading the center and along with her 6 more sisters that work there. She went on to tell the daily routine, these kids has to be given bath 3-4 times daily just to keep them away from the bad smell they develop and had to feed them 6 times a day with proper diet.  They have 4 attendants, girls who work there. And with staff of mere 10 the kids they have to manage is 29 who needs attention 24/7 yes it is 24/7.

Few of these kids don’t sleep in the night and keep crying and the sisters have to be awake all the night taking care of them. Sleepless nights are part of their routine.  The care they take cannot be described, the patience they have.. it’s  just  amazing.

The sad part of this is they don’t have support. They don’t have any continuous financial assistance. The government promised and is supposed to give Rs.450 per kid towards the monthly expenses which they never got. It purely runs on donations from the public. Sister told how some times when they don’t have the next meal they call people and few help.

Even when we were there, there was a TV crew of some local channel. Sister told that there is a baby of 3 months old who needs a heart surgery that cost 4 lakh rupees and when they approached the government for the money they sent the TV crew to help them by casting it in the news. But will the money come and is the baby going to survive is still a ?

The regular medical care also costs them a lot as these kids have lot of problems. They have a physiotherapy room where the kids are regularly treated. Few can walk on their own, one with support and rest needs to be carried for everything.One can respond to senses and needs education, the nearest school charges Rs.28,000 per year. The center also needs lot of maintenance as the wear and tear for the cots and beds is high. Few of them are already in broken state and they don't have enough money to replace them.

These people need a lot of support. Go through their website http://swanthana.com for more details and if you are willing to support.  Even if not financially you can give them moral support by visiting them.

My reflection on this follows…..

Read more...

Signal Free

Last Saturday after the trek to Skandagiri was very tired but went to attend a meeting in the evening. I was returning back to home and got stuck at the ring road signal. I grew impatient as it looked like it is going to take for ever and indeed the traffic was pretty bad. Waiting there my thoughts just went on what is the least you need to be to influence to go through signals with out stopping. Politicians have that luxury and are so lucky to avoid any delays.  But for a common man it is just impossible. I wished that I too would go like that some day with out wasting my time at the signals. It almost took around 10 mins to get cleared. Hit the bed as I was very tired.

Next day being Sunday, was going to church in the morning. Started from home and left to church. While going I didn’t stop any where. It was SIGNAL FREE. I got a green on all the signals and with out even slowing down my speed I passed them. After crossing the last signal I was feeling my self to be so lucky not to stop any where and reach in short time. It is only then I realized what I wished for last night and started recollecting all my thoughts.  I was shocked that it happened. It’s a wish come true but how did it happen.

Heavens Gift?

Read more...

Another Journey

This journey doesn’t start with suddenly as this was a well planned one. Booked a bus ticket to go home well ahead. The Telengana issue started and they stopped the buses. So booked a train ticket as a backup which was on waiting list 93.

On 23rd after PC gave a different version of the statement on Andhra things became better and busses were released. As per 23rd status buses were going and there was no problem. I called up the reservation counter again on 24th to confirm if buses were going and then tried to cancel the train ticket. It didn’t work for several times, so tried it one last time and switched of the PC with out seeing the status.

On the way to bus depot I was thinking how good it was to have a backup ticket, even if the refund may not happen, the peace it gave was worth. Waited at the pickup point for more than an hour and then called up to the reservation counter to find that the bus has been cancelled. The refund of the ticket can only happen if I give them my ticket that day. Hmmmm now the other option left is the train. I don’t even have the ticket printed. And only 30 mins left in which I have to now print the ticket and reach station. I tried taking my chance at train at the loss of bus ticket now.

Asked my cousin who is travelling by the same train and had already reached station to print my ticket. Out of the blue got a call from my colleague Shamil, asking me to join for lunch. While speaking to him I realised that I have a printed ticket at my office desk which I did on the day I booked the ticket. I requested him if he can drop me the ticket in time. He started immediately with the ticket. Mean while the net connection was slow where my cousin was trying to print and I asked him to check the PNR and…… the ticket status is cancelled :D.

Now my friend is still on the way getting the ticket. I have decided that any cost I am going to go by this train as the buses are not guaranteed and not sure if I will get a ticket for night. Went and bought a general ticket. Shamil came, and I was feeling bad that I have to make him come for a ticket that is of no use. One more idea stuck and asked him to cancel my bus ticket and felt happy that his efforts didn’t go waste as it still helped me.

Met my cousin who have a confirmed ticket on the platform and made up my mind to get reservation even if he charges me high once I get into the train. Got into the train and into my cousin’s reserved compartment it is worse than a general compartment. No place even to stand. Went in search of the TTE to get a reserved seat but it didn’t help, met 3 of them but all of them no vacancy. But he allowed me to stay in the compartment and all other unreserved he asked to get out.

The TTEs changed at Tirupati but they too didn’t ask any thing. So after a long wait I got down at Nellore. Then took a bus home and reached by 12 am.

This is the cheapest journey home I ever did 101 + 27

Read more...