From
Malayala Manorama (മലയാള മനോരമ)
Sunday
Supplement 9.8.26
Innathe
Chintavishayam
(Thought for the day)
by
Nijoy
When I read this article it touched me very much. I felt it has to reach people who do not have access to this regional newspaper.
Posting its English translation here for the sake of readers who are alien to Malayalam language.
Malayalam is spoken by around 3 crores of the population in India. They are residents of Kerala state, southern India.
That Is How the Spring of Compassion
Flows…
The most
heartfelt answer to the question, “What did you give?” is “Love.”
One should be
a companion for as long as one is together.
The Story of Anand
The 1971
Bollywood film “Anand,” starring Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan in the lead
roles, tells the story of the deep emotional bond between a terminally ill but
cheerful patient and the doctor treating him.
The patient,
Anand, who is confined to his bed, often speaks about a very close friend. He
describes someone who loved him deeply, wrote letters to him regularly and made
all the moments they spent together beautiful. He continues describing this
friend at length.
But, in
reality, Anand never had such a friend. It was only an imagination.
When the doctor
realizes this, he begins writing letters himself. He writes them just as Anand
would imagine his friend writing them—with warmth and affection. He then sits
beside the patient and reads the letters aloud to him.
In this way,
the doctor becomes Anand's imagined friend and helps him continue his remaining
days with happiness and hope.
The Small Wonders of Life
Life is not
always about extraordinary achievements. Sometimes, the simple acts of kindness
and the happiness received through them are what make each moment meaningful.
A bus driver
who stops for a minute for a child running to catch the bus because he is late
for an examination is a small miracle.
A shopkeeper
who, without the customer's knowledge, puts back into the bag half of the
vegetables that the customer had said he did not need is another example of
kindness.
There are
people who may not know what help to ask for. For some, a caring presence, a
gentle touch or simply a compassionate look is enough to give them hope.
A person who
is hungry may not need material possessions; he needs food. A person without
water needs something to drink. For someone who has no hope of recovery, what
can be given is a compassionate presence and emotional support.
The Message
Visible good
deeds and achievements are often celebrated as the most beautiful moments of
life. But if we look carefully, we understand that kindness often flows through
ordinary people who remain unnoticed and whose good deeds never make headlines.
It is not
easy to provide a permanent solution to another person's problems, and nobody
may even expect it. But when someone's days are numbered, being there for them
with love, warmth and companionship can be enough for them to close their eyes
in peace and satisfaction.
The essence of the article is:
Sometimes the greatest gift we can
give another person is simply love, companionship and a caring presence.
The article in the Malayala Manorama was translated to English by Tessy - Thomas Jacob
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