It is time to say 'thank you'

Her eyes gleamed when she asked me how does it feel to be on an aeroplane. She had a child-like expression when she questioned me whether one needs to study and get degrees to work in a bank.

Isn't it strange how we overlook all our blessings and worry about the things that we do not have? We want things that we do not require to show to people who do not matter to us. Running after that new model of luxury car, that new iPhone and what not.

Have we ever paused to give thanks for all the things that we already have received and earned?

Some six months ago, I started practising the 'art of being grateful'. So, every day I give thanks to the universe for three things that I already have.

Even though I practice gratitude on a regular basis, I experienced another dimension of it in those wee hours of a Friday morning as I waited for five hours to get myself enrolled for Aadhaar. It was around 5 am and the sun was yet to rise.

So in order to pass the time I started chatting with a girl named Nidhi who is a nurse and mother of a 15-month-old baby.

What started as a means to pass time became a full-fledged conversation.

“So Nidhi, tell me about your family,” I casually asked her as I perched myself on top of a scooty.

“Just mom and me. My eldest sister was a stillborn and moreover I could hardly enjoy the company of my other two sisters,” she trailed off. Her voice was marked with traces of long-lost sadness.

  

A tiny hint of sadness was noticeable on her face as she began talking about her sisters.

“My mom who was my father’s niece got married when she was 17. After the birth of a stillborn baby, my mother blamed herself for this incident. It took some time for her to gain her composure. After two years, my eldest sister Maya was born. She had 24 fingers instead of 20 fingers.”

Nidhi paused.

“Maya was perfectly fine but my father thought that she won’t be able to get married with 24 fingers. After the operation, she never became the same. She changed. She could not speak a word after that and could not move without help. The girl, who used to take care of the house, now remained confined to one spot. Moreover, when she got pneumonia she couldn't express her pain in words. No one understood what was going on and finally one day she passed away,” Nidhi said.

I saw that it was getting hard for her to continue. However, she carried on. She avoided eye contact and looking in a different direction she continued.

“My second eldest sister Rita did not stay with us after the death of my father. She initially went to our uncle’s place in our native village for some time. She never came back.  Later our uncle married her off without consulting my mother. The news reached us just two days before the wedding day. My mother cried like a child that day.”

The mother of the bride was reduced to a mere guest. 

When she finished and I could see small beads of tears leaving her eyes that she quickly wiped off. I went close and hugged her. Her heart was pounding fast and hard.

It made me realise that life is very fleeting. One moment you are here and then you are gone. There were goose bumps all over my hands. I needed some time to absorb whatever she had said. I gave a silent thank you to the universe under my breath from the bottom of my heart.

This conversation made me realize the big blessing I was bestowed with, my sister.

I am thankful that the universe had given me a cute little sister who is always there with me through good and bad days. Often she acts like the elder sister. I have disappointed her on several occasions but I am amazed how she always stuck with me, helping me with all the problems. 

Many of us have siblings and most of the times we cannot stand them. However, once they are off to a new city or we move to a different city, we realise their importance.

I don't want to sound too preachy here but next time you have a fight with your siblings, thank the universe that at least they are there with you. Because few people may not be as lucky as you are. 

Let me know what you think in the comments section below.