On the New Year’s Eve, I was a bit disappointed as we didn’t get a place in any of the restaurants. As usual, I was in a complaining mode. The usual blah blah was going on in my mind and I was standing with a straight face. I knew that Nitin was not at all amused with my behavior but I wasn’t able to help it at that time.

 

We were, at that time, standing at our favorite food joint, getting our favorite food packed. The unhappiness was not leaving me! I walked up to the road and started staring at nothing. A kid, aged around 7, was playing with a stick. He was dressed in very plain clothes, and with no woolens, in that kinda chilly night. I felt the goosebumps on me when I saw him. The kid was too engrossed in his game to notice that I was observing him.

 

This kid was the son of a guy who worked in that restaurant. He waved at his son, who replied back with a jubilant smile. His father finished his work and came out to accompany his son to home. They chatted for a while, exchanged some notes and smiles, and walked away, holding hands. They would, maybe, have had a simple, but a happy dinner at home with their family, and welcomed the New Year.

 

I wondered. I wondered at their happiness. I wondered at their content state. I wondered why the kid didn’t feel cold. I wondered why the kid wasn’t complaining about anything, I wondered if he wished to get something on the New Year. I wondered if he wished to eat out. I wondered if he ever felt irritated because of something he didn’t have. I wondered why they didn’t see me and wonder at my unhappiness. I wondered at myself. I felt stupid. And then, I decided not to ruin the New Year with my stupid ways.

 

Hope this new year teaches each one of us to enjoy what we have to the fullest, and not waste these precious moments of our life in complaining about what we do not have.  Open-mouthed