The Garland..

Raj had moved into a new apartment in 1979. The complex was new, and they were one of the early occupants. It was a new township being developed. It was a practice then for a flower vendor to place a garland every morning at the door knob. As Raj opened his door, a leafed parcel would be there, and in it a small garland. Besides the garland would be a copy of the 'Daily Times'. He wondered who these generous souls were, to offer their services for free. At the end of the month the smart operators showed up and asked if he enjoyed receiving the daily news and the garland.
Raj enjoyed reading, and so asked the 'Times' be continued. He also liked receiving a garland daily, happily paid for the services and requested its continuance.
What followed next was strange. Every morning before Raj set out to work, he would collect the garland and hang it on the neck of the crucified lord. When the delivery was late, Raj would stay on until he had placed the garland on the lord's neck. His wife asked him one day, "Why risk your job by waiting for the garland to arrive." Raj said, 'Oh!', that's my problem solver.' I know I can't help having troubles on the job. But one thing is for sure, troubles don't belong in the house, with you my wife and children. So I just hang them up on his neck every dawn when I set off from home. When I get back at dusk, they are no more the problems I thought they were.' While hanging the garland he would tell the lord, 'Here is a garland on your neck. The flowers and leaves are the problems I would have to encounter today. Resolve them for me. No more do I ask of thee, than to keep me Happy for the Day.'   

Having said this Raj would set off to work. Strangely he noticed, while the problems did not diminish, there were always solutions at hand proposed by friends or colleagues, and the day ended happily. His faith in the garland increased as the vendor kept adding flowers to increase the value of his product. Raj knew it was added problems being strung. However he had no fear, as he also knew within him that once the garland was on the lord's neck, it was the lord who resolved it all for him. He would go about his daily chores as if nothing mattered other than doing his best. All he asked of the lord was to resolve his today of all its problems. While he was sure many others asked and received much more, for him it was enough to have his problems resolved, and he stay 'Happy for the Day'.
This simple technique of asking for happiness 'One Day at a Time' has seen him through many summers.
Today as he sits on an easy chair, retired from active life, and looks back at the Happy Life he led, he also looks at the crucified lord and the garland that hangs around his neck and wonders,
" What if it was not for him to carry my cross."

Before the Cock Crows Twice....

From the window I could see a bunch of fresh flowers sway in the morning wind, water droplets dripping drop by drop on to the window panes and then splashing droplets on my face. I could feel the freshness of cool breeze touching my face as if in invitation. I went out in the garden, the air was so fresh that it relieved my mind. 

Kids were playing in the street, sailing paper boats on the locked water… A young couple enjoying the first rain as they walked down the street returning from their morning walk. I smiled at them,
‘Good morning’…a familiar greeting forced me to turn back and there she was holding lot of stuff in hand … I said, "Aunty, Mummy is not home".
She said, “it’s raining and I don’t have an umbrella and got some stuff to carry”.
Dad came from inside and said “Come inside let the rain abate and then you may go.”
“No brother I got to go … Anto will be waiting for me to pack his Tiffin as he readies for college”.

As I walked her home, she asked me if I had recently met Anto. I replied in the positive and that I had seen him with a few friends walk down the street in a direction opposite to where she came from a while earlier, as she was returning from church.

She thought she too had seen him at a distant, but as the group got closer she did not find him in the crowd. I told her that seated in my balcony, I had seen him hide behind the block and waited for her to pass by. He was afraid his friends would ridicule him after seeing his mother in her attire. Anto always wore a pretense about himself. He spoke ‘Queen’s English’ to his siblings knowing they understood No word of what he said. But it was English, and they were all proud of him.

On arriving home, she told Anto that she saw him disappear in the crowd, when she wanted him help her carry some of the stuff. He sheepishly grinned and tried telling her to resist wearing the traditional outfit and opt for something that was worn by the younger generation. She knew he was in denial of his mother. He was ashamed of her. Recalled the passage she heard that morning …. Matthew 26:34, 'Jesus tells Peter that before the cock crows twice, Peter will deny him thrice.'