Lesson in a Train

On my return journey from Kasara in the local train. A family (Father, Mother and two young daughters) got in at the next station. The train was fairly empty and all of them got a seat. They were sitting on the adjacent seats.


They were just sitting quietly, mother was looking pretty tired, dad was in his normal mood, and the two young darlings were playing with each other. Both of them were very happy and giggling from time to time. You know how two siblings know exactly what to do to make each other smile or laugh. Very cute indeed.


There is something about kids, the moment they smile at me or even if I see a kiddo smiling for some moments I forgot all my tensions, worries, how bad my life is everything. I smile at them and I am in a peaceful state for quite a few seconds because you know I need to keep on worrying or thinking. I am a grown-up guy you see.


So I again caught my train of thoughts and started moving from one station to another as my train of thoughts doesn’t have a destination. It only knows to run, run and run for no good reason at all.


Suddenly something stopped my train and I looked around to find out what was it that made me stop running my train at full speed. And to my surprise it was the crying of the younger one. I was zonked because I had left the two siblings in a happy mood before starting my train.


I love kids and I like to know the reason behind a child crying, even I try to do something to make them stop crying. So I started concentrating and as I think I am smart I tried to analyze the situation.


Step One – Who is the Culprit ??? . I looked at the Mother; you know most of the times when Mom screams the child screams. But know it wasn’t going to be that easy. Next suspect the father, poor guy was also contemplating the reason for the sudden change in the events. Finally, the last suspect was the real culprit the Elder Sister, ha ha ha. Step One complete.


Step Two – What did the Culprit do ??? (Difficult, sometimes almost IMPOSSIBLE to find out). So now I am looking at everybody and trying to find out the reason. Looking at the Elder one, Mom and Dad. Then again from Dad, Mom to the Elder one. While I am doing this the kiddo is screaming at the top of her voice. She stops in between to breathe and again OooooooooooAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaHHHHHHHHHHHH.


I can’t listen to a child crying makes me do something about it. Finally after 5 minutes of the above routine I have cracked it. There is a small packet of Aavla Supari and the Elder one has committed the BIGGEST crime of consuming 2-3 pieces of supari which has made the kiddo ANGRY. Second Step complete.

Mom tries consoling her; Dad tries to soothe her and this whole scenario the poor elder one is screamed upon by the two parties from time to time. But the kiddo is ANGRY and won’t listen to anything. Finally somebody vacates the window seat; Dad seats himself there, with the kiddo on his lap still screaming in front of me. He points out of the window and shows her a Cow, a house. Suddenly the kiddo is all silent. The Crying and wailing has stopped. I was very happy but suddenly the kiddo was starting again but this time also Dad promptly came to my rescue and showed again something. This continued twice or thrice and the kiddo never cried again. After a few minutes the kiddo started playing with her elder sister again. Same giggling and laughing. Wow so Cute.


I started thinking, the kiddo was damn angry with the elder one a few minutes ago. Had the attention of all the passengers in the compartment, was crying at the top of her voice and now they are playing with each other. How did this happen ??


You know when I get angry with somebody, not normal anger but you know really angry, I stop speaking with that person. I keep on thinking about what that person did to me again and again and again. This keeps me focused and determined to not give in and forgive that person, come what may.


But you know the kiddo is small doesn’t have a good memory like me. I am grown up. I can remember things. I have some rules and regulations which if anybody breaks will have to pay a price for that. People will start walking all over me if I keep on forgiving them every time. They need to be taught a lesson. So I will keep reminding myself what bad things that person did to me.


Where as it would just take a minute for me to think something else, look ahead, let go and forgive that person like how the kiddo did. The kiddo doesn’t hold grudges, has a book “How you should Treat me” that’s why she forgot what had happened and started playing with her sister. So simply she taught me a lesson.


So from now on I am not going to hold grudges, I am going to move on, I am going to Let Go of the thoughts. Because the person whom I am ANGRY with might be happy, having fun but I am in a bad mood because I am thinking about that whole episode again and again and again.


I have now discovered that I can’t stop the train of my thoughts but I can replace the station of GRUDGE, TENSION, WORRY, HOW DID THIS HAPPEN TO ME to LET GO, SMILE, LOOK AHEAD, BE CHILDLIKE which would eventually lead to me my destination of HAPPY LIVING.