Dearest Darling Friends,

Since my wife has started teaching in Symbiosis International School as a teacher, buying veggies in the morning is a part of my job profile (as a husband). We normally go to this roadside veggie vendor who is about 50 meters from our house.

He has never responded to my enthusiastic good mornings or my wise cracks. He keeps shuffling the veggies if he is not weighing the veggies or counting money.

On mornings, he is surrounded by tens of customers and his veggies are ALWAYS fresh. So I have always forgiven him for ignoring me and never gone to another shop. Well, why bluff you? Truth is Bharathi insists on buying from this shop only!

This Sunday Bharathi decided to buy veggies personally and I trudged along. See, how dutiful husband I am! We were the only customers and the veggie vendor was seeing a hockey match on his mobile! This is how our conversation went.

Me – Watching hockey? Ouch! Obviously!
Him – Without looking up, he just nodded.

Me – You do not watch movies on your cell?
Him – After a pause…..”I am a sportsman. I only see sports.”

Me – (Taken aback). Do you play too?
Him – (Looking at me for the first time) – I have played cricket, football AND kabaddi at the state level. I have represented my school and college in ALL these sports.

Me – Oh! (Like a dumb a_ _ )
Him – I got a ligament injury and now I cannot even exercise. I cannot even kick start a bike forget about playing.

Me – (out of sympathy) If I get passes for a cricket match or a kabaddi match in a stadium, would you like to go? It will be for FREE. (I emphasized the word FREE. What an idiot I am)

Him – (With a wistful smile). No sir. (OMG. He was speaking English with proper diction. I was delighted) Why to go and just clap. In life I want to do things where people will clap for me. Then, I will go and clap for others.

Me – (Staring at him and digesting his wisdom).
Him – I was very good at sports. I did not get a chance to live my dreams.

Me – (Thinking – Uffff. Not every one gets a chance to live their dreams!)
Him – It liked speaking with you. Thank you.

We shook hands. I departed with a bag filled with veggies and a heart filled with gratitude for “I am living a life where I have a chance to LIVE MY DREAMS.” Am going to value it completely and cherish every moment of it.

With love, prayers and best wishes,

naren

Imagine, when we wake up, we are given only what we had thanked for.