The Effect ... which a smile can leave!

Yesterday, I was feeling very happy as I was about to meet my parents, and was keenly awaiting through out the day for the clock to tick to 17:30 hrs. as that was the time when the bus - here at CDAC - was about to leave. Every now and then, I was having a look at my wrist watch, and awaiting for the time to just pass on, as soon as possible - Its always tough to be away from the family.

But all off a sudden, when I reached the security desk to handover my room keys, I was in fact handed my TCOM Project Proposal Feedback Sheet and that was no less than a shock for me, as I was awarded the most unexpected feedback which did let me go down - on my morale - or I lacked patience all off a sudden, started reacting in a weird manner!

I was looking for a freely and easily available PC in the lab. such that I could log-on to Moodle and post my request for a small discussion, but twas' again, a hard luck for me, the server wasn't working functioning as desired.

It was a bunch of mixed feelings that started emanating within me and I couldn't think anything further in the right direction. I was in fact somehow glad that the time of the bus, to leave the campus had come and I got myself into the bus and just went on.

Through out my way, despite of feeling sleepy, I couldn't even have a nap just because of the effect of TCOM which made me feel, what I was actually feeling - Bad! I then thought that if such a senior person has given me a feedback, then it must mean something or the other, as their experience might be showing me what I shouldn't have done.

And then, along my way, when the bus crossed Sion and started moving towards Bandra, it got stuck in the traffic jam (not new here, but twas' new yesterday) and as I peeked out of my window, I noticed a very small girl, who might have been at the age of seven (I believe!) who was working at a shop which deals with iron rods, and her face was covered by a layer of dust, her blonde hairs were as if they were coated (or dyed) with golden dust, her small frock was filled with rust and dark patches of oil and varied greases, her hands were skinny and very dark.

She had kept herself engaged with a long thread (quite much long for her!) which was very clear from the sides (and straight) and the mess was when there was a knot and which was mixed in a random fashion which looked no less than a spider's web.

The tyres of the bus were just about to roll further as the other vehicles were clinching ahead very slowly and maintaining the turtle's pace, and the girl was still stuck with her knot and there was no one out there who could spare some time and support her to get rid-off a thing that was bugging her for ... I don't know how long?

As the bus moved ahead, my eyes were fixed at her muddy face, whose eyes were engaged to resolve the knot, but I don't know why? Why did she want to solve it? What were the circumstances that led her to be as she was yesterday? Why was she not able to attract any other person's attention towards her? Why? Why? ... ?

But all off a sudden, I could notice that she was able to grab a piece of thread and circulate it along her fingers, and then ... came the most beautiful thing which had relieved me ... Yes, twas' her smile, the smile which came after a few seconds, the smile which I could see at her face after merely moving the thread amongst her fingers, the smile which was not expected by me, as I was puzzled by questions ...

... twas' that smile which made me feel happy, yesterday, it made me feel very good, and it, in fact relieved me from the thoughts that were revolving around me! I was indeed feeling better than what I was feeling just before the bus got stuck in that traffic jam.

Then I reached Bandra to catch a local to Goregaon and that tense feeling had left my mind for a quite long and cherished the rest of the evening with parents back at home.

It was today, that the server started working as desired, and I was then able to submit my post, after discussing it with my friends.

I was wondering - as - Was that a test for my patience? or was that to teach me not to over-react to circumstances?

Yes, Indeed twas' and this is what I was supposed to learn yesterday! Life is indeed a book, teaching new lessons each day!

But what happened to the girl? I don't know! But the questions that came to my mind regarding her is an unsolved mystery and may be it shall remain to be ...

Twas' certainly the effect, the effect which TCOM couldn't have on me for long, but twas' the effect .... which a smile had left on me!