tottering to glory ...

Standing in a long queue gets very frustrating. Last weekend when I had to board a local train, I was at the receiving end of murphy's law. Queues on other ticket counters moved faster. I couldn't help swearing under my breath. Even the pleasant weather outside ceased to make me feel good. Suddenly I felt someone push my hands. I turned to have a look at the offender.
She turned out to be an old lady. Let me call her Amma. Amma was trying to make some space so she could get to the other side of the queue. I moved aside and made space for her. If I make very modest estimates, Amma must not be less than 70 years. She wore a wrinkled face, a thick glass and had a stooping frame of body. A jute bag hung loosely on her shoulders. She was carrying a stick in her right hand that supported her movements.
I can never forget what Amma did next. There was a weighing machine on the other side of the queue. I have always been fascinated by these weighing machines on railway premises. They have these tiny bulbs inside that glow in every possible colour.Also there is a spinning wheel to add to the excitement. Amma walked across to that weighing machine. She took her bag off her shoulders and kept it at the bottom of the machine. She kept her stick on the foot platform, clutched the machine with her left hand and got on the foot platform finally. She waited for the wheel to stop spinning and then inserted a Rs.1 coin. Promptly a ticket was delivered. She clasped the ticket in her hands and got down the machine with as much difficulty. Then she had a look at the ticket. And a smile appeared on her face. I can never fathom what made her happy. Whether it was gaining weight or losing it. Whatever it was , the one thing that struck me hard was , there is this old woman who is on the fag end of her life (God forbid if anything happens to her) but even then she has this zest for life. And here I was , cursing and getting frustrated at merely having to wait in a queue. Life would be so much more good if I stop complaining and start living.
I then turned around and saw Amma tottering away. I felt so good by just looking at her. She had made my day. I felt rejuvinated. Wherever you are .. thanks Amma ..

Heaped on my heart, my old thoughts abide

There are a hundred places where I fear

To go - so with her memory they brim

And entering with relief some quiet place

Where never fell her foot or shone her face

I say, 'There is no memory of her here!'

And so stand stricken, so remembering her...