Shelter in rain....

Today while returning home it was heavily raining. Though I love rain, for some reason today wasn't so good. This is probably the first time I was out in a car when it rains at Bangalore. All I saw on the roads were not surprising. Its something that we see every time it rains.

It was a pity to see two wheelers riding their vehicle in rain with some just getting drenched and others having a person at the back seat holding an umbrella. Though we started discussing on how bad we(Indians) are when it comes to safety and following the traffic rules, I somehow pitied them for they may not be able to afford a car. Well, they could very well wait and go when the rain stops, yet it was almost late night. Even they would be in a mood to rush home.

What upset me the most on the roads today was when we reached Hosur main road. A lorry right in front of us was carrying, atleast 15, max 20 men, who seemed to be road workers. The only way they could protect themselves from the rain was with the workers-cap. I could not figure out if they were going to work in such dark and rainy night or if they were returning home after work.

We were happily going home in our car whereas they were going to / returning from work in a lorry in the cold rain. I could see them facing down and holding themselves tight so that they could withstand the chillness at least a little bit. I was a little angry and upset, but I don't know whom I should actually be angry at. Is it the politicians or is it the worker's boss who have not provided them with a proper vehicle to travel. After all, a lorry is supposed to carry goods, not human being.

After seeing all these I realize how blessed I am to have such good family and also all the facilities that I enjoy. On one hand I thank God for the blessings he has given, on the other, I sure am upset about these people who don't have these privileges. But I only hope they get good food to eat, good shelter to sleep and proper clothes to wear.

Count Your Blessings

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Once in a while when I think about what I dont get, God shows me a way to understand how much I had been blessed. There was this one incident that happened the other day at Chennai City Centre. Though of not much significance, it really touched me and made me think of how I had been blessed.

At Lifestyle showroom, while going through the cloths, there was this one employee who made a small boy around 12/13 years old to fold the cloths that were left unfold by the customers. He also told him, if you are going anywhere out, let me know and go. To which the kid politely answered I wont go anywhere. Then he started folding the unfolded cloths. He seemed like a new kid to the store and was folding the cloths with utmost sincerity and was very meticulous in folding the cloths with the fear that he might make a mistake.

Here I sit in an AC room, in front of a PC, nobody to question where I go and when I go until my work is not disturbed, getting a hand full salary, still cribbing over work, appraisel, promotion, salary. How much the other companies pay...

At an age when he should be playing with friends, or when he should be studying for his exams, he was standing there folding the cloths. I was cursing myself for the times when I had missed to study when my mom used to be behind me saying, "study, study, study.." and the time when I had missed to eat properly or wear the cloth my mom has bought saying i didnt like it. If only these choices were given to this kid, he would have happily taken it.

But I thank God for the blessings he had given me. A good family, good education, good food eat, nice cloths to wear, good job and a good salary. I can keep counting and naming them one by one.