The best days of my life - Part 2

December 26,2004: The disaster day. For me, it was just another day until I came down from my room to the meditation hall for my yoga classes. There was too much crying from my batch mates, and frantic phone calls. When I enquired, they said a tsunami had hit Tamil Nadu, and the waves had reached almost a kilometer from the beach. My batch mates' parents were calling to enquire whether we experienced the quake and reassure that they were fine. I waited for my parents to call too. Time passed but, but there was no phone call for me. I was getting more anxious and paranoid. Thoughts clogged my mind.. "Why have they not called yet... my home is just 1.5kms away from the beach.. I hope.. Oh my God!!.. God.. I just plead and pray that everyone at home are fine...". A tear escaped my eye. No.. Nothing would have gone wrong. The little angels, understanding what I was going through sat down next to me, held my hand and prayed that things should be fine back home. I got distracted and drawn to that wondrous happening. These kids did not even know who their parents were, and there they were, praying fervently for me!

I went on a 7km cancer awareness rally into the village. I sneaked out of the line when I spotted a PCO and made a quick call to home. The moment I heard my dad's voice, I was so relieved and hit by a wave of happiness and Love. My voice broke.. Suddenly, I wanted to tell them how much I loved them. Instead, all I could manage was, "I want to see you immediately.. Come here tomorrow". (My parents had called to my guide's mobile. She had forgotten to inform me.. Will never forgive her for that!!) And, my parents came the consecutive day and spent some time in heaven.

The day of my returning back to home finally came. We bode farewell to those little angel and thanked them for the experience and the fun time we spent with them. Strange, isn't it? I had gone there for charity, service, to teach those kids, entertain them...Bah.. If I may say, Bull shit!! What had I taught them? Did I ever entertain them? Wait a minute! I was one of the best at school, but what did I have to offer them? What an otiose being? Those little angels had taught me a lot, they have shaped me into, I must say, a real human being. They taught me how to look at Life in the right perspective. They taught me what real problems and trouble were. They taught me how to walk my path, to tackle obstacles, and most of all, to Love and Live. All that money we collected, all those material things we donated, all the activities we did are no match to what they had to offer us.

For all those people who stay at home and throw away useless money in the name of charity... Here is what I have to say, they are the blessed ones. Charity and altruism that we are familiar with, is a farce. If there is anything that you want to do for these children, go spend time with them. They do not want to be loved, they have loads of it. The world may have turned its face away from these destitute children, but God has not. If you think you can give love to those angels, you are wrong. These angels, gospels of Love, would shower you with real affection, Love that you would otherwise never experience in Life.

December 31,2004: I returned home with all this experience, bearing all their Love in my heart. Ah, Home, sweet home. Till date, and for all days to come, if ever misery should befall me, I would think of those little angels, and my ten day stay in Heaven. I laid there on my bed, staring at the ceiling, awaiting the break of a new dawn, a New year, and a refined Me...