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| Smile Because You Can |
I smiled and said, “Sirji! It’s okay. If you want me to do so, I will happily do it for you.”
He replied with a laughter, “No! Janaab, you don’t have to do this. This is not for you. But can you wait for a minute. It will take hardly a minute to dry.”
And I nodded in approval.
In evening, when I was waiting for Delhi Metro Violet line train at Central Secretariat, someone tapped on my back and asked me, “Aur Janaab! How was your day?”
I recognized the voice, and when I turned back, it was him. The Janaab guy. He is a some 21 year-old man of an average Indian height and decent features. I greeted him and replied, “I’m fine brother and how are you?”
To which, he replied, “I am also fine, Brother.”
After knowing about each other’s destinations, we got engaged in a long conversation about life, work and killing spree for seats in Violet line at Central Secretariat until his station did not arrive.
There is one thing I have noticed, in the whole conversation, there was a constant bright smile on his face and zeal in his attitude. It might be because of our first meeting.
In a few days, our friendship grew and we became good friends. We used to wait for each other, and then go for massacre for the seats in Violet Metro, together. And then as usual we talk about office, life and everything that is going on. He told me very bit about him. How his parents died when he was only eleven, and how his grandmother has gone through all hardship to raise him and his sister, and how he is working in my office to help his grandmother, and to save some respectable amount for his sister’s education and marriage. He is also pursuing Bachelor’s degree from Delhi University’s SOL.
One evening, when I was waiting for him at Central Secretariat Metro Station and he got damn late. He was still smiling and apologised for the same. I asked him in pretty rude manner, “how can you smile?”
He replied, “I Smile Because I Can.”
I shoot back, “what that means?”
He replied, “I smile because it really didn’t matter whether you are late or not. I smile because only thing that matters is your work and relationships. I smile because I have a friend who waited for me. I smile because it empowers me to defy the odds.”
Though I was still angry at him, but before his station, I realized my mistake and apologised, and in teasing manner, he said, “It’s okay. Blame it on the weather.”
Though that simple reply shook me from my inner core. Because, we usually kneel down to our circumstances and accept them as our own destiny. In reality, the answer lies in challenging the circumstances with a sweet bright smile. And everything really did not matter if you know your work and you have some good friends.
We are born with a quality to fight against the hardship in our lives with a bring it on attitude. But, we have forgotten this quality over period of time. You can observe this quality in a child who is learning to walk, whenever he falls, he gets up and tries to walk again. With his strong desire to walk and after many falls, he learns to walk on his two legs. Meanwhile, whenever he falls for a minute or two, he cries but he smiles every time when he gets up. And that’s how he wins.
Smile energizes your soul, and provides you energy to live life, and take on the hardship. So Smile! Because You Can.