Disarray of a Compassionate Heart

As it started to dawn, my alarm rang. It was a rare occasion when I woke up at wee hours of the morning. I got ready at the earliest and rushed to the railway station. I skipped the breakfast, so my mother packed it for the journey. I got to the railway station just in time. While running towards the platform, I checked my train’s status. It was late by 20 minutes. I heaved a sigh of relief and started moving towards the platform casually as if I was cautious enough to reach at the railway station before the scheduled arrival of the train.

I took a seat in the waiting area. Railway stations are like my second home. I have spent a hell lot of time at railway stations, thanks to our Indian railways, which is accustomed to late arrivals. However, I have always found railway station to be an amusing place. You get to see so many forms of human feelings, from happiness of receiving a long gone relative to the sadness of seeing off someone who will be gone for quite a while. All around you see mothers pampering their kids and telling them what to-do and what not to do, fathers worrying about their kids well being. A huge upsurge of human emotions, all at one place. Quite endearing isn’t it.

As I waited there, quietly observing different colors of human interactions, I kept on glancing from one place to another. Suddenly, my eyes caught sight of a beggar. He was quite old; his body was covered with rags. His situation was really miserable. He kept on wandering here and there, probably in search of food. I have always felt pity of those who don’t even have access to basic amenities we enjoy so profoundly and at times take for granted. My heart was moved at his situation. I offered him food that my mother had packed for me. He took it from me and went to a place at some distance to eat. I felt glad that I could be of help to someone in need. A lot of thoughts kept cropping up on my mind. I was thinking how lack of education and jobs has rendered so many people helpless that they had to opt for beggary in order to survive.

Lost in my thoughts, I stood up at the announcement of my train’s arrival. I took a glance at that old man. To my surprise, he sat at the same place smoking a cigarette. I stood stunned, the man was begging for food as he could not afford it, but he could spare money to buy cigarettes. The same person for whom I felt pity a little while ago was causing the feeling of disgust in me. It’s not always anyone else’s fault, people are responsible for their own circumstances, I thought to myself. There is a quotation that my mother always cites, "A man is not a slave of circumstances, he is the creator, controller and master of them". With this, I hushed up my drifting thoughts and boarded the train.