WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES, ANOTHER DOOR OPENS

 



“Tears are words that need to be written.”

Paulo Coelho

 

A while ago, I happened to meet this woman, who asked me, “How’s your health?”

“Good… No complaints,” I responded without even blinking.

The woman smiled as though to tell: “You are right… After all, complain to whom?”

All is seldom good in life… There are a thousand problems to complain about… But, then, who do you complain to?

I find myself, particularly since last night, saying repeatedly this simple prayer: “Thank you Lord… Help me Lord… Sorry Lord.”

The woman, who asked me, ‘How’s your health?”, I am sure, has several challenges in life, including her own health issues or of those near and dear to her. Still, she asked me, with all her sincerity, “How’s your health?” (She knew about my health crisis and major surgeries I had undergone seven years ago.)

“Why me?”… This comes from sadness - our self-pity and blame…

I have asked this enough number of times, and, now, stopped asking it…

“Thy will be done… Thy will be done.” And, let me tell you, everything happens in my life for my own good…

It’s impossible to get this perspective unless we learn to appreciate the goodness God has blessed us with… There is so much of it all around us… So much to thank for. Still, we tend to get overwhelmed by the problems and challenges life throws before us…

“Thank you Lord… Help me Lord… Sorry Lord.” I find this simple prayer very reassuring…




Two days ago, I was returning home with my wife after watching the latest Hindi film, ‘The Superboys of Malegaon.” As we got into the lift of our building, I saw Girish and Rupali (my ex-students and now dear friends) getting into the lift, too… It was around 11.30 in the night… They had taken Saanvi, their teenage daughter, for her daily round in the garden… Saanvi is a special child, and the way Girish and Rupali have been raising her up is very humbling to watch. Rupali’s mother, a retired service woman, lives in the same building. Saanvi is extremely close to her grandmother… The grandmother looks after Saanvi’s food, personal chores, special-school activities, strolls etc. It’s a huge relief for Girish and Rupali who are working parents. When the lift door opened on our floor, and as my wife and I were coming out, I said this to Girish and Rupali: “When one door slams on you,  another door opens for you. But, we hear the sound of the slamming door so loud, that we, often, fail to hear the gentle sound of the door that opens.”

It was Helen Keller who said this, years ago… This remarkable woman was blind, deaf and dumb…

Let’s pause and try to understand what it means to be a blind, deaf and dumb in life!

Girish and Rupali knew why I was reminding them about the two doors in life…

How many Saanvi’s have a blessing called a doting grandmother?



And, this morning, in response to a message sent by New India Cooperative Bank, I had been there with KYC details and a blank cheque… My R.D. amount (of just over a lakh of rupees), I was informed, the bank would be sending to my account in another bank within 90 days…

“If it comes back, it’s yours; if it doesn’t, it never was.” The Zen mantra never fails my peace of mind…

While waiting there in the bank, I saw a simple, householder woman. When she offered a mild smile, I asked her softly, “Bahut  takleef hua hoga aapko?”

The woman’s eyes welled up, instantly… and, she looked to another direction, unable to show her tears!



“Sadness is twilight’s kiss on earth,” I remembered the words of  Wole Soyinka…


GERALD D’CUNHA

Pic’s:  1. AZ Quotes  2. insideoutstudios.com    3.Pixabay

Video: Emmanuel Kelly/Cold Play

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