An Old Man in my Street Corner !

"The Greatest of Pleasures often lies in the smallest of deeds"

I've often been reminded of this line from Paulo, wheneva I sit in my veranda to sip my cup of coffee.

Its true that we love these small things a lot but we often despise paying attention to it.

Its just another day on my veranda sipping my coffee, Its West facing and so sitting there is pampering while the sun sets.

One such day, I ought to find an Old man. He seemed to be bearing a humble ragged figure , in late 50's.

He may not have been very old, but he had been badly treated by life and time.He used crutches, because one of his legs was withered. What really impressed me, though, was that even with the crutches he managed to carry an old classical Harmonium (Sort of a small Piano)

He sat down in the street corner, which is normally a buzy lane. He stretched sitting and set his instrument. No one in the road ever bothered to pay attention to him, He observed the hustling atmosphere for a moment, stared the Quill in the electric line above, smiled, and in few moment he started to sing.

As soon as I heard his voice singing, I started to shake all over, It was like the voice of an Angel, So serene and blessed, yet sad!

Not just me, his voice penetrated every soul around there Little by little it filled the whole atmosphere, echoing around, involving and elevating !

I could see chindren stop playing and start staring him, a sense of mesmerism spread across in the air.

A hefty lady who was in her evening walk by the road intending to reduce weight was stuck by the song,

A Door delivery boy amidst the heavy weight on his bi-cycle stood stunned listening to the soul-penetrating song.

The Old mans face bore a serenity of charm amidst the dark spotted skin, wrinkled forehead and shredded grey hair.

I realized that every single person over there were experiencing a moment of ephimeral eternity, a communion with other souls as if by magic . We had been called to another dimension, to a more beautiful universe where perhaps everything made sense... or perhaps not!

His voice shattered the barriers and made all of us One ! It was truly mystical !

Now the hustle-bustle of the street was freezed, freezed because of his song, I could feel the blooming freshness in every face as if they have soaked their soul in spirituality, as if its the day they were born!

Few moments later, making it more sustaining at heart, his voice grew quiet and a silence remained that had an almost oppressive taste of emptiness. But then, hands clapped effusively, smiles lit up every face and the children roared out enthusiastically for an encore.

The old man never reacted except for a divinely smile he bore, he gathered his crutches and folded back his instrument and started to walk as if his mission is completed.

The spur of the moment, I back led my coffee, ran out and only rested when I caught up to him, all out of breath.

I excavated my tracks pocket to pullout the little money I had and squzeed it in his hands, but neither it brought a difference in the way he reacted. He was set to proceed!

He was about to turn back and thats where I holded his shoulders and hugged him an appreciation. I felt something beyond humane in him. I concluded my embrace asking him never to stop singing! His wrinkled face grew soft and his eyes shrink as he smiled at me.

I never saw him again, but I would like to believe that he is walking down other paths, weeping his fado songs, making people smile from the soul, fulfilling his mission.

If he happens to stop by near you, please tell him that I have not forgotten him.

P.S : There is lot to admire is this big world,

Embrace every moment, Acknowledge it with Love,

You don't need anything Worth a million to make others happy.

More often Love and care, straight from heart is worth a Million Dollar!

" Keep Smiling and make People Smile with pristine love "