An unforgettable stroke

It was 7:30 in the morning as i left for my office to board a local at khar station. Walking into the station, i just happened to see an old lady lying by the stair-side in a pathetic condition. Though it is unfortunately a regular sight here in this country of ours, that fact somehow didn’t convince me and i really don’t know what happened but i stopped in my tracks looking at her face and glanced at my watch. Hmmm still 35 mins to go. It would generally take me around 20-25 mins to reach my workplace that meant i would still be left with good 10 mins. While doing all this calculation, i went towards her and asked her as to what really brought her to that condition and whether i can be of any help to her.She could barely speak as she appeared too weak and pale with black spots on her skin. My eyes welled up with tears as i could just sense a deep pain in her eyes. I asked her again but to no avail. Suddenly, it struck me that i should buy her some milk and glucose biscuits. I went to a nearby shop from where i would regularly buy packed milk to get these items. Amid all this, i rang my boss to tell him scaringly that i would be late today. After purchasing the items, i went back to my house, hardly 300 m away, boiled milk and returned to the station. I then asked her to sit up and have some milk along with biscuits. Flummoxed by all this, she looked at me drearily. I said, “amma, it’s nothing just milk and some biscuits. It will give you some strength”. As she found herself unable to sit, i extended my hand to hold her back as a support from one hand and glass in the other tilting it at an appropriate angle to help her drink it steadily. As the glass reached its half-mark, i offered her biscuits which she initially was reluctant to take as she somewhat seemed to be getting back to her senses but on my insistence took them. “Amma, where do you live, where is your family, how did you land up here etc. etc.?”, i asked. She replied that she came along with her son for some medical help from some rural part of Maharashtra far away from Bombay as she recalled her journey. She then told me that his son had gone to buy return tickets for them but never came back after asking her to wait for him.She suddenly started crying which made me lachrymose too. However, i tried to keep a stiff upper lip. I asked her if she could recollect anything further but she couldn’t. I then asked her if she would mind coming to my house and staying there until i find some solution to her problem. “Amma, you are just like my mother, so would you?” To this, she stroked my head gently and affectionately as her eyes glistened and her heart poured out blessings for me. This time, i couldn’t hold back my emotions as it reminded me of my own mother and tears started trickling down my eyes too and i felt so blessed at that moment which is difficult to put in words and beyond all imagination as certain feelings are. Today, i am happy that she is living a peaceful life back home as i seek such heart-warming and genuine blessings yet again in my life.