I am a firm believer in a concept in Buddhism that “Ordained people appear in your life at the designated times to teach you the required lessons…”
During my month-long visit to Uncle Sam…quite a few of them came! I would share them with you…
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On 4th day, we were ready for our 2nd of total 8 hosts…and here drives in an 87-year old petite woman – the host for two of us. I opened the back of the car and found dry shreds stuffed in it. To my quizzical look, she said with a smile and a twinkle in her eyes “Oh I clean the lawn every month”! While putting shreds in another car, I had started smiling…
Well! As she fearlessly reversed the car at amazing speed, I and my colleague pointed at each other for who would sit on the front seat. And when on the first turn the car missed a waste-bin by only a few centimeters, I screamed louder. Guess who was sitting on the front seat??
She didn’t know location of the visit so she decided to follow a fellow car…and there started the roller-coaster! In next 25 minutes, as she kept shooing away every car from coming in between, talking to us in her soft voice (maintaining eye-contact with us), honking horn for sides, mocking the speed-limits, forgetting the color of the car, chanting car’s number and elevating the right tires twice through a footpath…I and my colleague had tears in our eyes in an attempt to curb both our laughter and fear!
By the end of the visit, we had all become comfortable with each other. And as we headed home, we were all laughing loud together on what had happened until – after driving for about 30 minutes – she announced that…she was lost!
Now nervous, we tried contacting the concerned people but to no good! Then after trying various turns in rush-hour traffic, I and my colleague decided to go to a car showroom and got the Google map printed for the way. After that, we were navigators in the expedition except that she would keep shrugging us off, saying “I know where my house is”! But yes…we did find the way eventually – all three of us laughing hysterically all the way!
While closing-in towards her house…I asked her about her family. And she said “Well! I live alone…as my husband died way back and my son died a few years ago!”
We were stunned! Amid the silence in the car, I murmured “Life is strange…isn’t it?”
She looked at me…smiled…and said “Yes! I know…that’s why I choose to be silly!”
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For the next 3 days, as she became our loving granny…forgetting her way and sharing laughter on all accounts, I never forgot the profound lesson behind her innocent chuckle…
“Avoid being too wise to stay happy!”
