THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE AREN'T THINGS

 

“A man is rich in proportion to the number of things

he can afford to let alone.”

Henry David Thoreau

 

I remember feeling the strongest, the most confident and secure – when I had decided to knock on strangers’ doors, telling them, “I want to teach young boys and girls.”

That’s when I was just 20-something… I was a newcomer in this big city… consumed with the desire to teach… and restless. I was jobless and penniless, too.

The earlier evening, TC had caught me ticketless at Mankhurd railway station, which, in those days, was the last Harbour-line station. The next local arrived only after 45 minutes… and the fine for a ticketless passenger from VT (now CST) to Mankhurd was a ‘princely’ sum of ten rupees and fifty paise!

And, I had nothing in my pocket to pay the TC and get off his hook. Nor did I possess a wrist watch or a ring to pledge as security till I could arrange the fine amount. But, that evening, when I went through some forty-five minutes of embarrassment in that TC’s cabin, I did possess in my hand an overused copy of Napolean Hill’s ‘Think and Grow Rich’… Months earlier, I had picked this used copy, for ten rupees, on the footpath near Churchgate station… I was reading it over and over and over again.

In the chapter - ‘Decision’, Napolean Hill would remind how most wouldn’t take a strong decision unless and until some unpleasant event kicked them from behind to do so…

In my case, it was the shame and embarrassment at the TC’s cabin that evening, some forty-six years ago… It was like Gandhi’s experience at the Johannesburg railway station, when, unlike me, he was thrown out of the first-class train-compartment despite possessing a valid ticket… The incident changed the direction of young Gandhi… So did mine!

That night, I did not sleep… Four months had already gone by - jobless, penniless, ticketless… but, not dreamless. That night, I was angry with myself… “Enough,” I said… and, the next morning, I  walked into the nearby Anushakti Nagar colony and started knocking the doors…

I felt the strongest, the most confident and the bravest as doors started opening for me, one after another… I never looked back since that decision.

But, with all the so-called success and progress – or whatever you call it – there was no desire in me to amass personal wealth. My well-wishers, who had seen my popularity, many a time, ask me, bemused: “Why haven’t you bought a house at a good locality or even a small car?”… “Why haven’t you stepped out of India?”… Obviously, they would ask me these questions.

I have downplayed the response… Despite not accumulating material wealth, I have never ever felt wretched in my life. On the contrary, I have felt very rich… very powerful (Not in any negative sense though).

Last Saturday, my dear ex-student Aditi and her hubby Brahma, had invited my wife and me for a dinner at their bungalow along with two other couples. One of these two couples – Vishal and Neha - were also my dear ex-students. We were to reach the place at 8 p.m. Around 7 p.m., there was a message from Brahma, “Sir, my driver will be in your vicinity… He will pick you up at 7:45.”

“How sweet!”, I replied.

Brahma is the CFO of a multinational company, and Aditi, too, holds a senior position as a finance professional, in a corporate. While Brahma has a chauffeur-driven BMW, Aditi self-drives a SUV. So, at 7.45, when my wife and I got into the waiting BMW, we greeted the mask-wearing middle-aged driver… He spoke little in mono-syllables, only in response…

On reaching the bungalow, Aditi greeted us and the driver pulled off his mask… and, they both started laughing uncontrollably!

The driver behind the mask was Rajesh Gunde… Aditi and Rajesh were great friends who studied in Poddar College… Both hailed from very simple households…

Rajesh presently holds a big position in a private bank. The car, in which he drove my wife and me, was his own BMW. We had a great time catching up… Rajesh dropped us back around post-midnight…

When they were my students, both Aditi and Rajesh would commute by BEST or even walk it out… An autorickshaw was a luxury. I was really happy for both of them, now…

(With my dear ex-students Vishal, Neha, Aditi and Rajesh)

Pic.: Vishal

 

On our way back, Rajesh said something, which gave me a lot of strength. “Sir, you may not have chosen to own even a simple car even after so many years of teaching and mentoring. But, you have enabled your students to own the finest of them… That’s your richness!”

Well, to say, on hearing what Rajesh said, I felt a lot relieved and fulfilled was an understatement…

I had gifted a couple of my books to all the couples assembled that night… Paromita, whom I hadn’t taught or met before, sent me a message this morning:

Dear Mr. Gerald,

I write this message with great reverence…

I have never been a student of yours; hence, I refer to you as ‘Mr. Gerald’, with due respect.

I am enjoying the process of slowly reading the books that you have gifted. Thank you.

The books are profound with meaning, written with love, have such clarity and carry the simplicity of the English Language… Perfect for getting the core message across to the growing minds of today.

You are a true guru, a teacher of repute, who receives both love and respect from all of his numerous students of all ages… as I happily witnessed. You are blessed to have them, and they are so lucky to have you. The world needs many more teachers like you.

Please accept my warm regards.

Paromita Bhattacharyya

                                              Paromita 

 

I felt as though I was treated to a long, fulfilling drive on an even superior BMW… In the quietness, I remembered what Epictetus had said:

“He is a rich man who does not grieve for things which he has not,

but rejoices for what he has.”

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pic’s: Pixabay/Nuno Campos

Video: DR Koncerthuset