Yesterday was one of those days--not bad exactly, just the kind where nothing goes according to your plan, nothing. Everyone's had one of those; if you insist that you never, please let's swap places. Anyways yeah, it was pouring all night and all day when I woke up. That, for some reason, scared people. I sort of judge them. But yeah, anyways... I couldn't find an umbrella this morning, my boots got soaked to my toes (and I sat like those, drenched boots and all, for about five hours), I wanted to eat chicken momos to my heart's content and that didn't happen...the list goes on.
On of the best things that happens at the end of a tiring and trying day is when you dry your soaked feet of in front of the heater, drink hot chai and watch a feel-good movie. I saw English Vinglish and that movie always helps me get all smiles. But watching that movie again reminded me that I had wanted to blog about this one particular thing for a long time: kindness in strangers. What with all that's been happening, people every where are stressing on how no body ever steps forward and helps them, how the world is selfish and cruel and how strangers are indifferent to our miseries. These outburts have their own reasons and I do not trivialise them since I also feel victimised and not helped by lots of people. But then again, I do feel that the people who do help strangers in need deserve a big thank you and applause. English Vinglish is an example of how kindness from strangers go a long way.
I think in most of our cases we are just busy living our own lives, enveloped in our own problems, we forget how we act affect other people. I am writing this post to sort of speak up for all those people who are nice to strangers, are nice and decent and help others simply because they're good people. I also want to thank them all.
This has happened to me a lot of times in my life--I am stuck somewhere, and my phone stops working (battery issues, connectivity issue, no balance--you name it!) and I am panicking about not getting where I want to...and a random stranger sees me worried and offers help (and his/her phone to make a call). See? They had no business to help me. For all you know, I may be some crazy thief trying to run away with their cell phones. But they still invested a bit of trust in humanity in me and helped me.
There was also this one time where I tripped on the stairs and fell on---a couple. Who were on a date. A lot of people would've yelled at me, shouted at me, told to watch where I was going. Obviously, having a woman fall on you on your date...not the best date ever. But this sweet couple helped me. They made me stand on my feet, didn't crib about how my fall (on them, mind) had hurt them, and actually asked if I wanted help getting first aid.
Another random act of kindness from a stranger was last Friday. I was lost all by myself somewhere in Lajpat Nagar. It was dark and cold and one keeps hearing how Delhi is not safe for women and all that. The place where I wanted to go was no where in sight, and even though I was asking virtually everyone on the road for directions, I was still going round in circles. Among the many people I had asked for directions was an auto walla who was dropping off a passenger somewhere. After about 20 minutes, on his return from the drop-off, he found me wandering around like a headless chicken and offered to help me find the place. He gave me a lift on his own; I hadn't asked for it. And when I had reached pretty much where I wanted to reach, I asked him how much the fare cost, and he didn't charge me anything!
And people say that no one helps. I agree that with all the anti-social stuff that's been happening, a lot more people should be helping others selflessly. I agree that a lot of them don't. But I wanted to thank each and every individual who has.
