THE BEGINNING

I was looking out through the window. An old man was sitting under the street light pole. He was eating something and enjoying his food. Here I am sitting in an AC cabin with executive class food served on the table but still not able to enjoy it.

The Old Man was poor and I am rich. I have a good house to live and chauffer driven car for traveling. The Old Man is not having anything. With torn clothes and long yellow beard that danced in the wind. I don’t know what made him so happy.

I decided to go down and talk to him.

When I went down, the Old Man had finished his sumptuous feast, which appeared to be some waste foods taken from garbage bin. I was hesitant to shake hands with him, as he was dirty and stinky. I decided to start the talk:

“Hello”

The Oldman didn’t respond. He was searching for something in his bag.

I again said “ Hello uncle”

This time he looked at me. He appeared to be not happy with my approach.

“ How are you?”

“I am what I am. No need to enquire about me.” The Old Man retorted angrily.

Now I understood. I am not dressed to the occasion. May be he doesn’t like rich people.

I removed my blazer and gifted it to the Old man.

He was happy with the gift and readily accepted it.

He was looking at me with suspicion. Who is this person ? What does he want?

Though I was really hesitant to touch that man, now since he is covered with my blazer, I gently touched him and asked him to be comfortable.

I asked the Old Man, “ Uncle, can you tell me about yourself. I want to know about you and how you are feeling happy, though you don’t have any place to live and no good food to eat”.

The Old Man didn’t like my question. “ Hey, don’t disturb me. I have nothing to say to you. You are interrupting my work. I have to reach the railway station before the next train comes. I have to earn something for the day. Clear off”.

Gratitude was not in his dictionary, I thought. I had given him my costly blazer and the next moment he is clearing me off. This was not expected. However I decided to watch the Old Man for the day and what he is going to do.

I tracked him silently without his knowledge to the railway station. A busy place where you will find lot of beggars, street vendors, amongst passengers. The Old Man went and sat beside the gate. He took some cloth from his bag and spread it in front of him. Then he took out one instrument from his bag. It appeared to be a musical instrument with some strings attached over a hexagonal box. The box appeared to be hollow. He started playing the instrument. It sounded more like a guitar. The music that flowed from the instrument started catching the attention of the passengers. People started throwing coins to him.

After sometime, the Old Man started counting his earning. It seemed he has made a good collection. He was really happy with his effort. He started packing his bag and started walking. I started following him. He was walking towards the west point of the city. I was wondering what he is going to do with his earning that too in west point where only elite people of the city go for shopping. He was walking very fast. It seems he wants to reach his goal very fast.

He reached the City School Campus. There was an orphanage run by a charity organization in the school campus. He went inside the orphanage and donated all his earnings in the charity box kept in the office room.

I was really stunned by his action. How he can donate his whole day earning by foregoing his needs… It’s really astonishing.

I am earning lakhs in a month and not even ready to a pay a single penny to anyone. I was really ashamed. The Old man was happy and he was enjoying life after sacrificing what ever he is earning. I am sad even after saving whatever I am earning and also after accumulating and investing and what not. I was running behind money and I was dying behind money. Money gave me luxury, which I was not able to enjoy. Money took away my peaceful life, my sound sleep and my happy life. I understood onething. While making money, you have to forego peace of mind.

I am afraid of money. The act of the Old Man spoke loud about the reason why he was happy. I didn’t need any more explanation from him. From today onwards I will start a new life. A new life of giving. A new life of sacrifice. A new life of contentment.

I decided to start an orphanage with the name “ My Peaceful life”.

This is not the end but the beginning.

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