Life is fascinating indeed and the experiences in life at times, cause a sense of marvel!!

There is this octagenarian (now) I have been seeing in my locality for the last decade and half. Tall, lanky and carries himself majestically. I have seen him from a distance, walked past him or across him on the road but never interacted with him. However, something about him would catch my attention, every time I see him.

This evening, when I went to a tailors’ shop to have some dresses altered , this gentleman was sitting there; waiting for some of his clothes to be done. What an opportunity!! Me being me, I told him that I have seen him ever so often in the locality where I live in. We got the initial pleasantries underway and a conversation just happened. What a conversation it was and one that would stay with me for years to come.

At one point, he called me ‘beta’ and asked me if I was working and where. I told him that I was a special educator and working with children and young adults with special needs, at an NGO. He sounded interested and I gave him some more information about what we do. I ended by saying that every day is a lot of fun, joy and lots to learn.

He said, “What you are doing must need lots of patience.” A statement I have heard from many people!!

He then said, “There is a kutti child in you who is enjoying what she does. This kutti child then spreads that joy to all children she works with.” Before I could say anything in response, he continued, “Your parents must be appreciated for bringing you up like this.” I mumbled a thank you, as I was completely caught unawares at how the conversation was going.

It was amazing how he gave a completely different thought about me, to myself; and I mentally expressed a gratitude to my amma and appa.

I told him that there are many special educators like me, who I work with; and many others like me in other places. He said, “I will say the same of them also.”

The conversation then moved on to – how it makes a difference to whatever we do, when we do it with love and passion. He then launched into the aspect of cooking. He said that when food is cooked with a lot of care, love and passion, its taste is very different; and thats when we relish it. He said, “When you do your work with joy, that joy shows and spreads. When you do it with unhappiness, that unhappiness shows and spreads.” A philosophical statement which is so true and said matter of factly.

All this conversation was between the two of us, in a small room space, with the person who was tailoring the clothes listening and smiling. There were other people in the space but that didn’t come in the way of our conversation.

As he was leaving, he said “You could have given your clothes and left or just stood in silence but you started the conversation and look how much we have spoken!”

As I pen this blog, I am reliving the few minutes of conversation with him, with a smile.

I needn’t have stepped out today but I did.

This wasn’t a shop I knew of, I just ambled into it.

There was one person at the start of the shop who was tailoring some clothes, he could have taken the clothes to alter them, in which case I wouldn’t have seen this Octagenarian sitting inside.

I could have given my clothes to be altered, finished a small walk and returned to collect the clothes. Or I could have stood there in silence, like the Octagenaian said, in which case this conversation with him wouldn’t have happened

Serendipity!! It was as though this conversation was meant to be, not just for me; but for many many people out there who are in the field of Special Education.. or in any other field, doing what they are doing with passion, joy and love.