Random Encounter!

It’s Monday morning and I decide to go for a short ride after seeing off my son to school. I try to go for these short rides on the days I’m not out running and its usually that time of the day when I see guys on their cycles heading to work, maybe to the nearby mall or shopping centre or office .

They have to reach before the more privileged lot get to work in the same premises .
No, no  they don’t ride to work to stay fit, or because they are trying to save the world or because they are environment friendly.
They are cycling to work merely because that cycle is the only means of transport they can afford. So many times, I  ride past and overtake these guys on an uphill and then invariably I find them increasing their effort and overtaking me again. I don’t go past them because I’m a stronger rider. It’s merely because I ride a cycle with gears which makes it easier for me in those uphills while they ride those  basic  gear less black cycles(many of the newer ones I see have Bahubali and some number written on them these days, by the way 😊)) I smile and play this game all the time on these rides. Some days I compliment the older gentlemen for struggling on the uphills and not getting off their cycles and walking like some of their counterparts.

I don’t say nothing to the younger ones. They take me as competition and push harder. So be it!

Two such encounters for today:)))

Today, I was exasperated on my ride though. There was too much traffic, mostly school time traffic. I decided to deviate from my usual route and it was a decision even worse. There were too many people on the roads trying to get their kids to school on time .Finally, when I had the traffic behind me and was just a few kilometers from home, a young girl wearing a scarf covering her head and no helmet, slowed down her scooty and started a conversation with me .

Girl-Didi, aap kab se cycle chala rahe ho? Maine aapko us din bhi dekha tha.

(since when have you been cycling? I saw you the other day as well!)

 Me-Shayad 2 saal se. Mein daudti hoon ,cycle to kabhi kabhi chalati hoon!

(Maybe 2 years.I mostly run.I cycle once in a way!)

Girl-Main bhi daudti thi.Abhi injured hoon.Doctor ne mana kiya hain. Knees me dard hain.Mujhe bhi cycle chalana hain!

( I used to run too.Am injured now. Doctor's asked me not to run.My knees hurt.I want to cycle too!)

Me-Chalao phir.Cycling to knees ke liye achchi hain.

(So why don't you? Cycling is good for the knees!)

Girl -Abhi aap kab se chala rahe ho?

(Since when are you riding today?)

Me-Ek ghanta bhi nahi hua-sirf 17km hue hain!

(Not even an hour.Have barely done 17kms)

Girl- Wow didi! 17km aur ek ghanta bhi nahi hua?

(17 kms and not even an hour! Wow!)

What can I say? I smile some more! I like her enthusiasm .

Girl:Thank you didi.Achcha laga aapse baat karke.

(Thanks didi! Nice talking to you!)

She’s ready to drive off.

Me: Helmet pehno helmet!

(Wear a helmet! Helmet!

Girl: Ok didi! Bye didi!

I smile to myself for a very long time. Did I tell you the traffic bothered me during my ride today? By the time I reached home to rush and get ready for work, it no longer mattered! I was still smiling and  thinking of my encounter with that 20 something stranger girl.

Life is good!

Mind games

I found my mind jumping from one thought to another today. The news of death of an elder in the family,the guilt of screaming at my boy in the morning (usual drama on a school day morning),the longish to do list,the excitement of the trip to the hills tomorrow,the boring administrative formalities at work and so on!

I want my mind to slow down ,I can’t seem to do it,I just can’t calm it down!

Wandering away thinking of those guys setting up shop(the cigarette,candy,rusk selling variety)on the footpath  as I crossed them while cycling in the morning! They were setting it up with so much deliberation and care. I wonder how their day will go sitting there in the sun trying to make some paltry money to make ends meet! Will they sleep better after such a hard day’s work or maybe because their worries are more basic, like food,clothing and shelter?

Wandering away thinking why it’s easy for me not to begrudge anyone anymore. I no longer struggle with my prejudices against others. Like they say, I am too busy watering the grass on my side to notice if the grass is greener on the other side.

I just feel overwhelmed when I realize the grass on my side IS greener!!I wonder if you know what I mean!

After work, I sat at a prayer meeting for a senior colleague’s son, who passed away at a young age of 36, battling cancer. I kept looking at the handsome young man’s picture and wondered what must be going through the parents’ minds. While I sat there,back home my father was mourning the loss of his eldest brother.He was 80 years old. My father is now the oldest of the 4 siblings alive(they were 7).I wonder what thoughts must be crossing his mind.

 I  clown around,laugh loudly, make jokes, act tough(even when I don’t feel so strong at times) and life goes on. It’s so much easier to let people see what they want,that picture of me that’s easiest to digest.I don’t complain because I know if I so much as whisper a complaint,I’ll be judged and criticized. But I know,for every person who made it big(wuteva-it’s again such a relative term-making it big!),there are hundreds like me who are hanging on there and turn nowhere for help,but inward!!!

Wandering away thinking, if there was a label for each person that told others everything about you,would it make people much kinder to one another.Would knowing others troubles and burdens not make us more considerate to them?

I would like my label to say "Psychia-good person,hard worker,trying her best!"

Tomorrow is another day!

P.S-I have no idea what I started out to ramble,but this rambling does me good!