All That Matters In Life!

It is very tricky to talk about what matters in one’s life. Personally, I would say that it is quite relational and varies from individual to individual. However, I would like to narrate something which touched me and inspired me to run over my setbacks and define what matters in life!

It was a cold morning in Shillong. I was reluctant to come out of my blanket when a loud tea call came from my friend. But then, how would he leave me happy like that when he got up and made tea in this ice cold climate? Murmuring absurd sounds, I drew myself out of blanket and walked lazily towards the dining table. My friend John was sitting there sipping the ‘Lal-sa’ (Decoction) with his head plunged into the newspaper. He seemed to have finished his routine gym and looked fresh! Now, I wanted to enjoy the Sunday by just not moving out of bed. In fact, I wanted to finish ‘Three Mistakes of My Life’ of Chetan Bhagat, which I started yesterday late in the night. John was very quick to get ready to go to church and asked me to be ready to go out with him when he comes back. Though I asked several times about the destination, he told me that it was a surprise offering to me.

I got ready at my own pace and then waited for John for some time. On a Sunny Sunday, I felt it was too long by the time he reached, but then we got off quickly to the unknown (at least to me) destination. We had our breakfast at Shillong town and carried on to down under. I was zapped to realize that he had taken me to a missionary organization which ran a residential center for special children. He introduced me to Meghna, a volunteer who had the charge of managing the center and she welcomed us and took us around the facility to explain the challenges and excitements in running such an institution. Though the infrastructure was built by the missionary group, the unit was independent and considered as a separate cost center to sustain on its own! The children were waiting there to meet us! This was the moment that I realized that our man (John) had a clear plan and everything was discussed and fixed for my visit. Meghna discussed many things and among that she wanted me to suggest a micro enterprise for sustaining the center. The children seemed to love her a lot and were reluctant to listen to anyone else. We chalked out a plan to utilize the time of the parents and the teachers to start an enterprise and compensate them as well. We had our lunch there and by the time we left the place, this young lady had left quite an impressive mark on us!

While driving back, John explained me about the background of Meghna. She was the only daughter of a multi-millionaire of the region and after doing her masters in engineering; she pursued sociology and her passion for social work. However, her father wanted her to marry and settle down and that’s when she left her home and came off to this center and started working there. She stays there in an attached guest room and she had already changed the face of the center within few months. In this era of compromises of principles to accumulate wealth, here was one lady with a mission and unconditional love for those little ones who’re created special!

That evening was really haunting and I realized what matters in life to me and Meghna’s gesture had reiterated that all that matters in life to each individual is different and reaching there should be the mission of one’s life.