THE COBBLER'S SHOES

 

“You, always, say such lovely things to me, Red.

Do you say them to yourself?”

 Talia Hibbert, Get a Life, Chloe Brown

 

For several years –- particularly in my twenties to thirties (and even in the first part of forties)  -- I have done a hell lot of work. Read ‘hell lot’ means heavy work, hard work, donkey work, or whatever. Before I married to my wife, I had married to my work… and, that first marriage continued till, one day -- right in the midst of my frantic work, my wife fell severely ill, got hospitalized for a month… then, for almost two years, needed my total attention… 

I remember going through anxiety and guilt at the same time. It was difficult to reset my priorities at that point of time… It was telling on my own health…

One evening, my dear friend and associate at The Dawn Club, Dr. Deepak, who had just become a Psychiatrist in his mid-twenties, came over to my place. We both sat on the floor, and he helped me deal with my anxiety and guilt, acting as a sounding board. He, also, helped me develop a new perspective towards work, family and life at large…

Well, after over twenty-five years since that evening, I won’t say I have become a ‘new man’… But, yes, I have realised, the hard way, what is important when you head a family… why you cannot live life on the edge constantly…

Burning the candle from both ends brings an early end… I did realise this.

Fast forward, early this week, my friend, Dr. Deepak, made a video call, and in his own imitable style and a thousand-watt smile, said, “I am hospitalized (he lives in Pune) for angioplasties. One plasty is over, the other will be tomorrow.

                                                  (My friend, Dr. Deepak just before his 2nd angioplasty)

“Not you, my doctor friend… You have touched so many lives, including mine… You are not even 50!”

No, I did not voice it out to him; but, I thought aloud…

“You are a fine teacher… So many young kids need you… You need to care for yourself, so that you can continue to care for others.” Yes, this’s how young Dr. Deepak, had pepped me when I was cracking.

I remembered that evening… Teachers and doctors tend to ignore themselves. I know so many of them… their life is erratic… it burns like a candle from both ends…

And, the crisis comes as a wake-up call. At times, too late…

My friend is home… hale and healthy. Well, his thousand-watt smile tells me, that my friend’s best is yet to come –- the river will take a better route to the sea… He is too precious to all of us around him.

Incidentally, last evening, in our Public Speaking session, the 15-year-old Bhavik was telling us the story about the cobbler, who failed to mend his own shoes…

In a town, there was a cobbler, who was very skilled. He was the only cobbler in his town. Thus, he was flooded with work, which made him work from early morning till late into the night. He had no time even to eat and breathe… so much so, he had no time to mend his own shoes. Soon, his shoes were worn out causing holes in them… His feet began to get bruises. But, he ignored them. As days passed by, the feet got infected and the infection, soon, spread into his legs; and he was forced to stop working…

As young Bhavik was narrating to us this story, I was thinking about my frantic days as a teacher, twenty-five years ago… and the frantic days of my doctor friend, Deepak, who has just come home, recharging his heart…

Through his thousand-watt smile, my doctor friend joked on our fraternities -- teachers and doctors  -- with this old Marathi saying:

“Loka sange Brahmgyan, apna korde pashan.”

I don’t think, it needs any translation…

GERALD D’CUNHA

 

Pic’s: 1. Pixabay/ giuseppeblu   2. Dr. Deepak 

 

Video:  Campus Movie Fest