Friday, September 29, 2023

Lessons in Empathy by My Wife


We at times get trapped in a web casted by facade of our own principles.
I found engulfed in one such situation.

It was drizzling on a sept evening, wrapping work early, we went to bazzar to stich up pending work to station and rain god's took a pause.
Mumbai rains can come in colours of romance, irritation and sticky sultry spells of humid sweaty weather.
We finished our work it was twilight time but felt like 8, in a quest to go early and have dinner before Sunset, we rushed ro a custard apple vendor.
The usual suspect a lady begger showed up in typical irritating way she started her elevator pitch. The pitch was to buy a fruit.

I have a principle to not to pay in cash especially to those who are capable to put in a labour. The weather got better off me made me tick, I have her a stare, she seemed young as a daisy, eyes were nice and bright and had no remorse of perils of asking for help despite of competencies to earn bread.

I conveniently ignored her and continued to bargain with the custard apple vendor.
My wife had a rise smile on her face, sorted a ripe custard apple carefully and gave it to her from our bag.

She could see what my judgemental eyes missed on the ladys bulge belly. I froze and my heart just sunk, before it could recover it was plunged into depths of darkness by my Wife's explanation to her act of kindness,"_She was Expecting"_


I was speechless, i marched towards my car , anxious me couldn't restore my heart by one nostril breathing.

That day I learnt lessons from my wife about observation, kindness and mindfulness.