It's very important
to have some elders in your house… they are an integral part of the change we
have from house to home. Not only elders are there to guide us through the
trickiest bits and point out our flaws, at certain times, when they get so
excited about small things or when they bless you for no big reason else than
to bless you, is what makes life worth living!
I had a similar
experience when I visited my bua (father's sister) on the 14th of January,
2014. That day, one of our regional festivals was there and we decided just to
go and visit her on that auspicious occasion. She is an old lady and I don't
say that because of her age. Recently, I lost my grandfather, and my bua
suffered the greatest. Losing a parent at the age of near 70, matters a lot.
Over the years, I remember seeing my bua with white hair but I saw an old lady
for the first time.
Anyways, my bua
lives in a joint family. She and fufaji (her husband) live with fufaji's elder
brother's family. So, basically there is one house to one generation i.e. my
bua, fufaji, badi bua (fufaji's sister-in-law) and bade fufaji (fufaji's
brother) and there is another house to their younger generation. We obviously
visited the older generation home.
I helped my bua
serve us a quick and usual dinner and then we were all seated for a nice chat.
While we were all
talking, badi bua came out of her room with two plates and started going
towards the kitchen. She is even elder than my bua and can't even stand
straight. All eyes turned towards her as she passed the dining room, everyone
silent to see her take the pain. I hate to say but yes, everyone just stared in
silence. I am kind of a little naïve at situations like this and so I just got
up and went towards her. I asked her to give me the plates and so I could keep
them for washing in the sink.
Now, badi bua is a
very soft spoken person. I haven't ever done something very special for her but
she has always liked me. She always greets my mother and me very
affectionately. For as long as I can remember, I recall her blessing me always
like she would her own daughter.
That day, she
refused to give me the plates. Because of her old age, she hardly gets out of
her room. So, it was only movement like this that kept her bones going.
Instead, she placed her free hand on my head and blessed me.
I don't still know
why would she bless me. I didn't even take the plates from her and keep them.
But there is something in the way she blessed me that day, I really felt
blessed.
I know, for as long
as I should live, I will always feel that there are people, who have been nice
to me and who have cared a lot. But the feeling that someone is there blessing
you, is wonderful!
I didn't want to
make this particular entry anything long.
I had a sweet
experience where I had a smile because of someone, and I just felt like sharing
it. Also, like I said that I won't forget it; blog entry is a fabulous way to
make sure that I don't.
I am totally in awe reading what Josh Radnor thinks and what he has to say!
