<p class="bodytext">‘Surround yourself with positive people and you will be a positive person’- Kelly Pickler </p>.<p class="bodytext">This quote took me back to over 15 years ago when my husband was posted in a remote placed called Okha in Gujarat. Ours was a colony of just 18 houses and women from a nearby village would come every day to help us with the household chores. There were many maids who came to our house asking for work. While some made tall claims, others startled us by being unduly naive. Though we were confused about choosing the ‘right’ one, Raji made our job easy as she ‘opted’ to work only in our house for the sole reason being my husband spoke gently to her unlike others who had an authoritative tone. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Raji was a tall and mildly mannered woman in her 40s.When she came to know that I was pregnant with my second child, she was quick to notice my elevated anxiety levels as the nearest gynecologist was 35 kms away in the temple town of Dwarka. Her ‘mantra’ to pacify my agitated mind was quite simple, “Memsaab, no one has seen tomorrow, so why keep worrying and spoil our present? Instead, eat healthy, go for walks daily and keep faith that everything will be fine.” She would iterate this sentence daily, often evidencing it with anecdotes about her relatives and acquaintances. “Do not let any external force control your thoughts. Keep repeating in your mind that pregnancy and delivery will be smooth”, she would gently counsel. In a way, she unknowingly taught me clarity of thoughts and a proactive approach towards reaching my goals. Her positive mindset was so strong and contagious that it created a virtuous cycle of well-being at my home. </p>.<p class="bodytext">But mind can play truant when things don’t go our way, even if it’s a mild hiccup that upsets our daily routine. Though I deeply regretted my action later, I did lose my temper once on Raji and admonished her for being late for work. Unmindful of my anger, she merely smiled and said, “I realise that I’m unable to stick to my usual time on Thursdays as I fast the entire day and go to Dwarka temple in the evening to pray for yours and baby’s good health”, her reply brought tears to my eyes. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Today, when my son stands tall in front of me, I fondly think of Raji and pray for her happiness. This quote, perhaps elucidates this life incident perfectly ‘Sometimes, miracles are good people with kind hearts that God sends your way’. </p>
<p class="bodytext">‘Surround yourself with positive people and you will be a positive person’- Kelly Pickler </p>.<p class="bodytext">This quote took me back to over 15 years ago when my husband was posted in a remote placed called Okha in Gujarat. Ours was a colony of just 18 houses and women from a nearby village would come every day to help us with the household chores. There were many maids who came to our house asking for work. While some made tall claims, others startled us by being unduly naive. Though we were confused about choosing the ‘right’ one, Raji made our job easy as she ‘opted’ to work only in our house for the sole reason being my husband spoke gently to her unlike others who had an authoritative tone. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Raji was a tall and mildly mannered woman in her 40s.When she came to know that I was pregnant with my second child, she was quick to notice my elevated anxiety levels as the nearest gynecologist was 35 kms away in the temple town of Dwarka. Her ‘mantra’ to pacify my agitated mind was quite simple, “Memsaab, no one has seen tomorrow, so why keep worrying and spoil our present? Instead, eat healthy, go for walks daily and keep faith that everything will be fine.” She would iterate this sentence daily, often evidencing it with anecdotes about her relatives and acquaintances. “Do not let any external force control your thoughts. Keep repeating in your mind that pregnancy and delivery will be smooth”, she would gently counsel. In a way, she unknowingly taught me clarity of thoughts and a proactive approach towards reaching my goals. Her positive mindset was so strong and contagious that it created a virtuous cycle of well-being at my home. </p>.<p class="bodytext">But mind can play truant when things don’t go our way, even if it’s a mild hiccup that upsets our daily routine. Though I deeply regretted my action later, I did lose my temper once on Raji and admonished her for being late for work. Unmindful of my anger, she merely smiled and said, “I realise that I’m unable to stick to my usual time on Thursdays as I fast the entire day and go to Dwarka temple in the evening to pray for yours and baby’s good health”, her reply brought tears to my eyes. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Today, when my son stands tall in front of me, I fondly think of Raji and pray for her happiness. This quote, perhaps elucidates this life incident perfectly ‘Sometimes, miracles are good people with kind hearts that God sends your way’. </p>
