It's been an extremely humbling day. A beautiful day at that.

It's amazing how human beings can be. While we always talk about, obsess about and even fear that spectrum of people who are conniving, manipulative and horrible, we often miss to see and enjoy the other end of the line. Perhaps because this world has so many bad and ugly people who turn this world black that whatever colour we have gets overshadowed... I don't exactly know why we fail to look at the other end of the spectrum. I guess we have our own reasons.

However, today was one of those days that will remain. For more reasons than one. After a great time with friends, I was on my way back home with ma only to realize halfway through that I couldn't find my phone. We asked the auto waala to slow down so we could look for it but to no avail. I had given up because finding a phone on silent mode on Commercial Street is something I will leave to your imagination!

But that's when this stream of good started happening - one after the other.

The auto waala actually stopped and asked me to search the entire place. I love that he empathized with me.
Ma called and no one responded.
The auto waala offered to call.
Ma called again and someone finally picked up.
We turned around and were waiting at a signal, on our way to Com Street.
This really pleasant faced beggar limped his way to our auto and just when ma took out some money, the signal turned green. Ma actually stopped the auto at the side and had the auto waala give him the money. The sight of the beggar limping his way on his crutches (for he had no legs) with such a big smile in his eyes and on his face with the auto waala telling him to take it easy, and for the fact that ma stopped the auto made something in me want to cry.
The auto waala began telling us stories about lost and stolen mobiles and how dangerous they can become today (thank you terrorism!!)
We reached, I got my phone and we set off again.
Conversations from Bangalore to actors from Bangalore (Mehmood, Waheeda Rehman etc etc) to Ramzaan to Id to food to life in general spanned our journey back.
Ma and him stopped over at ma's favorite local chai shop for garam chai and samosas. Ma offered to pack some for his 5 kids back home but he humbly declined...
And then we reached home in silence.

I realize that every one has their share of worries. I realize that every one has worries that can tear them apart. I realize that people carry on with their life and still live. They still live in peace and happiness. Because for them, peace and happiness is not always that valued piece of paper. Because for them, money is just a part and parcel of bigger things in life.

And by these people, I don't mean people who zoom past me in their fancy shiny cars with their pretentious idols stuck to the car's dashboard. By these people I mean people who have just about enough to see them through, people who have 5 children who are studying, people who have no money to change their auto meters from Rs. 14 to Rs. 17 because it costs Rs. 1000 and they don't have it, people who have brightness in their eyes for the smallest of things, people who live because they want to live and not because of how they live. People like Moinuddin; people like the auto waala today.

I didn't feel sad or remorseful for having lost my phone for that x amount of time because I wanted a new one. And tomorrow, when I buy that new phone, that's going to be a few thousands I'll never forget, a few thousands that will make me think. Not because I have it and gave it away but because someone else doesn't have it and is somewhere happier than I am.

And that's what I call humility.