A few days back, I took my son Yuvaan and my sister out for a meal at Sahni bakery, a dainty little restaurant of which we had heard good things. We settled into our seats, and we all started perusing the menu with zest to decide what to order. Our brooding was broken by a thin old man with his legs bent sideways. He was struggling with a mop and shuffling past our table. I noticed that he had some problem with his eyes as those were watery.
My heart went out to him as he hunched over, struggling with his work despite his advanced age. I asked my son to give him some money as a kind gesture. My sister knows my habit with old people. I cannot see them working. She giggled and said what if you were a billionaire, you would have given in abundance to the old people. Agreeing with her, with a smile, I was rummaging through my purse for a hundred rupee note, the old man disappeared from sight. I made a mental note that if we ever crossed paths again, I would give him money. Our attention turned back to the menu, and we placed our orders. While my sister and I ordered the main courses, my son ordered a TRIO PASTRY for Rs. 100, which he had with great relish.
After we had eaten enough along with the chit-chatting, I called for the bill so that we would leave home. Since I am a bit absent-minded when it comes to paying bills, I checked the total and gave exactly the amount written on the bill. We exited the restaurant then to the parking area.
To my utter surprise, it was the same old man with a tired eye, now shimmering and gleaming. I handed over the hundred rupees to my son, who readily handed over the money to the old man. He thanked us much, sincerity oozing from his heart and touching ours.
Reached home and relaxed a bit, I searched my purse and found the restaurant bill crumpled inside. Ironing out the wrinkles, an idea hit me like an electric shock that this bill did not include the TRIO PASTRY for Rs. 100. I was stunned.
Suddenly, one fact dawned on me: that at times the universe pays back in totally unexpected ways.
The lesson that I learned from this old man, despite my having forgotten to pay the bill, is that small favors are all interrelated and life evens out, yet mysteriously. It reminded me that, truly, the value of giving is not in what we are going to get in return but in its warmth upon our hearts and the difference it makes around us.
