Hey guys!

Last month I decided to spend my birthday on a different note. I remember, every year the day would pass by just as usual, may be we would cut a cake and dine out, that’s it. This year, something clicked. We decided to do something different.

And here is what we did. Husband and I cooked a meal for the shelter home near to our place. Somehow, the feeling was good. I don’t know why but it felt like an achievement. We thought of continuing it every month, and therefore this August, I cooked Curry and Jeera Rice (Rice with Cumin seeds) for around ten people. As the sun went down, I was done with my cooking, and we moved towards the shelter home with three big packets of food. On our way, I was kinda confused.

‘Would they like the food?’
‘What if they find it spicy? But I did not add any spice in it!’
‘I hope it’s enough for 10-12 people.’
With those thoughts, we rang the bell of the bell and waited for the reception lady to come out and take the food. While we waited, we saw a lady coming towards the shelter home. I believe she lived there.  She too rang the entrance bell and waited with us.  As the caretaker opened the gate, both of them looked and smiled at each other. The caretaker came forward to talk to us,  and the other lady stopped there to listen to our conversation.

Husband: Hey, we have bought some food for the people living here. It’s fresh and hot.

Caretaker took the food bag from us with a smile, and before she could finish saying ‘Thanks’ to us, the lady shouted from distance asking, ‘What do you have in these boxes?’
‘Hey! It’s vegetable curry, Jeera rice. And would like to mention that it is not spicy.’, I accept that I was nervous. I did not want any weird reaction after all that I had put. But she had something nice to say!

‘Oh! This is so wonderful! I have been craving to eat something good to fill my stomach since morning. And the smell it has is irresistible! Thank you for this feast. God bless you!’, and she continued showering her blessings till the time we weren’t away from her eyes.

While I and my husband walked back towards our home, I was kinda smiling. Her wishes echoed in my ears. Not sure if they were meant to be true, not sure if she wished us wholeheartedly , but here is the thing: I had prepared the meal with my heart and soul, and the happiness in her eyes gave me the satisfaction that I had added one more good deed to my bank account.

I slept peacefully that night.

While I always believed that happiness had forgotten my address, it had found it’s way back in an unexpected surprising form: By giving it to others.

Not sure if this is something I would be committed to doing for long, but then I hope that counting on this moment and savoring it for days would definitely push me back to this genuine act again.

If you too think that happiness is a misaddressed emotion, here is something you can do to today to make your day count: Feed someone.

Buy a meal for someone in need. Take that roadside beggar to a restaurant and ask him to buy whatever he wants to eat. Donate food bag to that homeless guy sitting at the corner of your lane.

Bring happiness to your home today.

Put it in your little heart, in your precious smile and in your everlasting memory. While most of the times these acts sounds superficial to us, it’s because we don’t appreciate ourselves for our small yet genuine acts. Before posting it on Facebook or any other social media, take a moment to pat your back. Before waiting for getting approval from the online community, zoom in and be your best friend. Give yourself a hi-five! Be in love with the idea of being a Santa for someone, but at the end of the day remember to hug that Santa for what he has done.

Though we try to find happiness in achieving a milestone, the days are more meaningful when we call out all the simple things, and find some joy in them. If we take a moment to reflect, the only reason we are here is to make ourselves happy. Shouldn’t we do such little, big things to make our days bright and someone else’s morning lucky?

Happy helping,

Ankita
Soul