It was around Eleven noon, one day in April, 2003. My caregiver, Lakshmamma had just begun her job in my house. She comes from a rural background.
She doesn’t have any education either formal or non-formal.
On this day, I was reading the newspaper in my living room and she was cooking rice in the kitchen.
She had to switch on the gas stove but she didn’t know how to use the gas lighter to light the stove.
It was a very funny incident. What happened that day I can never forget.
I feel like laughing loudly even now whenever this incident comes to mind. I had taught her to use the lighter and demonstrated how to light the gas stove.
Despite pressing the gas lighter many times she could not light the gas stove.
Meanwhile as she had switched on the gas stove, some gas was leaking from the burner head.
As a result when she finally lit the gas stove, there was a sound when the flame caught on the gas stove.
She ran out of the kitchen and came running towards me like a kid screaming for help.
I couldn’t control my laughter when I found out why she was running.
This was one of the most hilarious moments, which I experienced during her initial days when she came to take care of me and my adopted son.
I would like to say more about the qualities, nature and personality of this amazing woman.
She has not been educated and never went to school but she is very smart.
She took care of me and my son like her own family after my wife got separated from us to have a different life. She has been with us since 17 Years.
Her sincerity and honesty is unquestionable.
Another incident, which I think is worth mentioning is this. Once, I had had gone along with my sister’s family to visit a temple on a sightseeing trip near Shimoga(In my state). There were several steps leading up to the temple.
We realised it was going to be an uphill task for me to climb in my wheelchair as there were too many steps to climb to go to the entrance of the temple.
I was still sitting inside the car, my brother came to me and said, “It is not possible for you to climb up to the temple. It would be better for you to sit here comfortably.”
Then he said, ”We will go and visit the temple. You take rest here.”
Hearing my brother, my caregiver, Lakshmamma reacted angrily.
She said to my brother, ”Sir, I don’t agree! How can we leave him here in the car while we go and visit the temple?”
Then she said, ”Do not worry, Sir! I am here to help. Somehow we will ensure that he makes it up to the temple. I am here to push the wheelchair and help him to climb steps.”
My brother could not say anything as he was astonished to hear this. Thanks to her determination and help, I was able to climb the steps. The temple had almost twenty steps in one stretch. Such was her love and loyalty to her master.
Such people are rare today in this materialistic world, which is filled with more of evil than good.
Whoever had come so far as caregivers to take care of me always had some sort of hidden agenda and were not genuine.
Whereas this great woman, wanted only to serve me and my son. It’s very rare to get such people who have a serving mindset only.
Another remarkable quality of this lady is that she helps me in the bathroom to reach my back and legs while sitting on the wheelchair.
Actually this is life. We have to live with happiness despite odds and hardships. One has to adapt one’s life as per the life situation.
We cant keep about the past. We cannot keep complaining and keep saying, ‘This is not there.’ and ‘That is not there.’ If we have to create a better future we should look ahead and recreate life.
OUR PAST IS NOT EQUAL TO FUTURE.
There will be some difficulties and there will be happiness sometimes. We should always be aware that life is a roller-coaster ride. But keep taking action to raise the quality of our life is important.
More and more you start worrying, life will appear to be even more difficult.
You can make your life Unstoppable come what may.
Adaptability is the key and it is my mantra. It just requires our willingness to take life’s challenges head on.
We need to learn how to swim in the ocean of difficulties and in any situations of life.
In my words ‘adaptability is the key’ which is my mantra face life in spite of mulitiplae challenges and difficulties.