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Great gesture from a simple family

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by preethikarthik1, Feb 26, 2014.

  1. preethikarthik1

    preethikarthik1 Bronze IL'ite

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    Editor's Note: Dear preethikarthik1, thank you for sharing this story with us. It has been chosen as the best of forums. Congratulations! For viewership by a larger audience we have it as an article here.

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    It was April 2 2012, though it was a year before, still the memories of the day is very fresh in my mind. It was my younger girl’s birthday who was turning four and we were excited to wake up on this beautiful day.

    I was busy with my routine which starts with breakfast then feeding my kids. But deep in my mind I was getting thrilled, because, I making my first Barbie cake for my little girl.

    The place where we live, she doesn’t have many friends, me either. Had it been any other place we would have arranged for a party with all her friends playing around with party games and dinner with our friends.

    We felt bad in celebrating all alone here in this small place. So, we decided to make it a very memorable day in a unique way.

    We decided to plan for a lunch for 50 laborers (constructing a new block in front of our house) with family and kids.

    Though this attempt of helping the needy by a small way is our first try, but we were sure, we are doing something good. Few things in life happen for a reason.

    We still curse our stars for being here in this place, but on that it made us feel , may we destined to be here to make this tiny charity( if I may say so ).

    We told our girls, a day before, that we are going to provide them lunch (a sweet, vegetable briyani with raita). My girls of 8 and 4 years couldn’t make out the sense of it but happy that something is happening in our house.

    I finished my routine, cleaned my kitchen and was waiting for the cook to come.
    Before the cook arrives, I baked her first Barbie cake, which came out reasonably good. My daughters were very happy and proud to see their mommy baking a cake.

    We planned to cut the cake around the noon time so that the cook finishes his job and leave the house to us.

    A day before, we prepared the list needed for the lunch and shopped it in our nearby grocery store. The cook arrived around 10.30 with all the huge vessels. We were very particular with the quality and quantity of the food. My husband was very conscious that, food can be in excess but it should never be less for anybody out there.

    The cook, along with 2 other boys, started the preparation; we told him that lunch had to be served by 12.30. Since, they work in front of my house; I have seen them having their lunch well in advance.

    I dressed up my girls in their new clothes and they insisted in taking few pictures of them in our lawn. Though, I was busy hanging out with them, but my mind was preoccupied with lunch and the timing of it.

    We had informed their contractor (head), a couple of days before that they are going to have lunch at our lawn. I started getting ready with setting up of paper plates, sweets (Gulab Jamun) water jugs and the serving spoons.

    Since the cook is an experienced person, he got it ready by sharp 12.30.

    We called all the laborers to our lawn, they were little hesitant to enter, but then we insisted them to come. Our family was equally excited like them, because of the very reason, its first time in our life, we are making an effort to help.

    I told my daughters to pick up the plates and give it to them. Once they started having their lunch, a lady from the crowd, came up to me and asked me” madamji! What’s the occasion that you are celebrating? “I told her that it’s my daughter’s birthday.

    She smiled at her, didn’t know what to say, escaped into her crowd.

    We were very very happy to see them all enjoying their briyani and kids asking for refills. We were not sure what our kids understood from this effort, but they seem to be happy in seeing others eating.

    They finished their food in an about an hour, without we telling them they cleaned our lawn and made the place as clean as before.

    They didn’t know what to tell us neither we. They left our place by smiling at us.
    The lady who asked me what the occasion is, came to my little girl, took out a 50Rupee note from her pouch. By keeping her right hand on my little girl’s head, she gave that 50 rs to my daughter and told her to buy a new doll for her birthday and said “happy birthday”.

    Tears filled our eyes. We very politely refused the money she gave. The attitude of this lady is not in the mind of big people( people with great bank balance). This is where , I feel , greatness of the small people stands. This day made a huge impact in our life, I hope it makes in your life also , when reading it.

    “No one has ever become poor by giving” – Keep helping and keep learning from them.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 3, 2014
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  2. indoc

    indoc Gold IL'ite

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    wow.... very inspiring story.. a day laborer gifting with 50 Rs.. great
    The people with "fat bank balances" aren't givers.. that's why they have FAAAAT bank balances..
    I am so tempted to forward this story to my relatives who expect nothing less than iPhone, Polo shirts, Giordano, Hugo perfumes and what not as gifts.
     
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2014
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  3. VaniVyas

    VaniVyas Platinum IL'ite

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    Good idea and deed.

    Rather than spending on birthday parties ar five star hotels, it is a good way. These days it s a trend to keep birthday parties at Mc. D, KFC and other hotels. Familes are ready to spend 10k - 15 k for a lavish dinner. Out of which we harldy eat some items and waste the other items.
    Especially in buffet lunch/ dinner i have noticed this. We pay for 20-30 dishes out of which we eat hardly 5 and dont even bother to taste the other dishes. Why to spend so much for a one time meal when so many people around u do not even eat good food once a month.

    Everyone needs to think about this,,,,, it s a humble request.
     
    1 person likes this.
  4. rajinitk4

    rajinitk4 IL Hall of Fame

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    Nice Writeup and True No one has ever become poor by giving
     
  5. shyamala1234

    shyamala1234 Platinum IL'ite

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    Dear Preethi,

    Wonderful way of celebrating your daughter's birthday.

    You made their day and they made yours.. Magnanimous way of giving by the lady which we all have to learn.
    May God bless your daughters and those kids also. Nobody might have invited them to a birthday party with Barbie Cake before!

    Syamala
     
  6. PriyaSrini

    PriyaSrini Moderator Staff Member Platinum IL'ite

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    A truly noble gesture Preethi. You have also shown the right way to your daughters.
    About the labourer's kind deed, it just shows how judgemental we sometimes are.
    Its time we walked the talk.
     
  7. Lakshmikishore

    Lakshmikishore Silver IL'ite

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    :clap Wonderful gesture to get inspired.
     
  8. superwoman09

    superwoman09 Gold IL'ite

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    It is so true. The happiness of their faces is visible. People with fat bank balances think 10 times before giving gifts whereas many times people with meager earnings do not. This year we celebrated my DD bday for the first time with a few of her society friends. We had called our maidservant and her family too. Inspite of us telling her not spend so much, she gifted my DD a dress worth more than 500rs as she wanted to see my DD in a Punjabi dress, something that we had not yet gotten for her. Sometimes I wonder why do all of us measure everything in terms of class and money. The feelings which they have and the blessings which they give are worth more than anything in this world.
     
  9. Vemala

    Vemala Gold IL'ite

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    Very impressed with your story.

    I remembered one incident happened few years back.
    We had been to small village in AP for medical camp. The village doesn't even have basic facilities. One old lady was keep on asking us to come to her home . We were hesitant to go there apart from the camp. We were keep on telling her, if any thing we will talk to her and cant come home to do the service. At 4pm, we were ready to pack and leave from that place. The old lady was standing in front of the gate and looking at us. I took permission from head of the camp and went to her house. We walked for 5 mins and reached to her place. She didnt talk any thing during our walk. Her house is clean n enough for one person to spend the life. She doesn't have roof also properly to her house. In the same place, she have mini garden n etc...After going there, She handed over one big PumpKin n bag of fresh vegetables. She said , I cant offer you more than this. I am unable to carry all these to your place and that's the reason I called you people to come over here. I felt ashamed and didnt even say single word. Tried to give some money to her and she didn't accept it. The impression was registered in my mind and after years also unable to forget the incident.

    Lessons Learnt : Dont come to conclusion about the person with attire,poverty n etc.
     
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2014
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  10. Angiee

    Angiee Silver IL'ite

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    Great writeup preethika! and the message conveyed here was much more great! I
    got a little teary eyed...
     

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