Today morning, I woke up at 7, with the hangover of a message that I received last night, that was still visible on my face as a smile! I had an exam to write today and had to be at the exam hall at 9. So I went and woke up my dad, had a cup of black coffee, and went over the GK section of the model question paper one last time before going for a bath. I was singing quite loudly in the bathroom owing to the happiness I mentioned earlier!

Usually, I keep the things I need ready in my bag before the exam-night, like the hall ticket, the pencil-eraser-pen etc etc, so that I can avoid a frantic search for all these things in the morning! Yesterday was no different, even though I couldn’t care any lesser about this exam. After the bath, the things I had to do were pretty simple – 1. Dress up, 2. Drink Coffee, 3. Pick up the bag, 4. Leave… After step 3, I remembered that I had to take my pencil bag. It is a small, blue and silver colored purse in which I keep my pencils and stuff. I checked my office bag for it, but couldn’t find it. That’s when the panic bell rang. I ran around the whole house to find the bag, but couldn’t get it. I must have left it at the office. Dad said that we can buy a pencil from the store, but it’s a Sunday and most shops will be closed. There was plenty of time, but seeing all those closed shops, my heart sank!

I don’t like dramatic moments in real life, but today morning couldn’t help being a little dramatic!! As soon as I prayed to God while I passed a temple that I frequent, Dad stopped the scooter in front of a shop situated right next to the temple. I went and asked the very old shopkeeper whether he had a pencil and eraser, and the man gave me an eraser, but he said that he had ran out of pencils. I paid for the eraser. He somehow sensed that I’m in dire need of a pencil right then and gave me a small, old one and said, “ഇതാ ഇതെടുത്തോളൂ.. എന്‍റെ പെന്‍സില്‍ ആണ്, പുതിയതൊന്നുമല്ല.. പക്ഷെ ഇതെടുത്തോളൂ, ഇപ്പൊ ആവശ്യം നടക്കട്ടെ..” ["Here, take this. This is my pencil and it's not a new one. But you can take it, let your need be met.."] I also saw a humane, warm smile hiding behind his white beard and mustache. That act, a help when it was most needed, that was all I could think of on the way to the exam hall. I couldn’t help connecting my prayers and it’s immediate answering! Do people still care for each other here? I was in awe.

Here I am, least interested to write an exam that my parents want me to write, and moved by an act of kindness by a stranger. It got me all confused. Doesn’t my parents deserve an act of selfless kindness too? Or am I wrong? Should I continue sticking to my principles that we should not let others live our lives for us? Or am I wrong?