Brighten Your Day

Home of Faith. Does the name ring a bell? Yes, you guessed right, it's the obscure little orphanage you over look every time you pass by the gate of our college campus. An upsetting majority of us will navigate these four arduous years without sparing so much as a second glance for this forgotten place. Until last year, I was part of the herd too. But thanks to my roommate, I had the good fortune of meeting 20 beautiful children. On the eve of October 16th last year, as we neared the orphanage, 20 pairs of inquisitive bright eyes registered our arrival. The smallest of them all took many steps towards us, tugged at my finger and said, "Chechi, you are from Rajagiri, right?" I nodded before I could say more, the rest giggled and chorused, "We all know your uniform!". Well so much for being called college students. In the next two hours I realized that in no way were these children any less talented or intelligent than we were. In fact their words were kind and sincere owing to their untainted innocence and above all, they didn't hold God responsible for their circumstances. We talked about their hopes and dreams, sang songs completely out of tune and danced without a care in the world. For a few fleeting moments, all was well in the world. When it was time to say goodbye, they promised to remember us in their prayers and their thoughts. As we were leaving, one of the girls asked, "Everyone says they will return, but no one ever does. Will you??" Swallowing the lump in my throat, I managed to mouth a yes. And with that, their faces lit up instantly.

On my way back home, I had my music to keep me company, but my mind was caught up elsewhere. How can we be so self centered all the time? Tangled in the snares of responsibilities and deadlines, will it kill us to spare a few moments to reconnect with the things that matter? You say you don't have the time, but the truth is, it's not a priority. Being selfish comes easily to us, but how many of us can dedicate a day's worth of our time for making someone else's day?

The world is on self destructive mode as it is and the only way we can turn things around is by lending an ear to the woes of fellow human beings. Make it a point to devote at least one day in a month to bring smile to a stranger's face. Visit old age homes, orphanages and shelters once in a while. No matter where you go, you will always find places where love is a treasured rarity. Switch off your phone for a day, step out and associate with real people, people who can give you reason to thank god everyday and give you a better perspective on life. After all, your time is the most precious gift you can give anyone because time once spent is gone forever.