We are the Beggary Owners with Leftovers

 

He is in his early eighties now. Robust old man! Definitely a sort of achiever at the property front! More so against the fact that when he and his family escaped from the blooded Pakistani soil at the partition time, after losing loved ones and all their property, they were even poorer than beggars. He started earning for the family at the tender age of 8 only. Then graduated onto become a truck driver and ultimately a transporter possessing his own truck.

 

His struggles took him to all corners of the country in all types of circumstances. I asked him about the guiding philosophies in his life. There was a light in his old, dim eyes and he peeped deep into the past for guidance: 'This fellow trucker of ours was really poor. All his worth was invested in this old, rickety truck. We were going in a convoy in the north east. His vehicle was carrying jaggery. The vehicle got toppled into a hole. It was damaged and the jaggery lay scattered all over the place. Fortunately he and his helper boy came out with bruised skin. But I knew he was carrying bigger scars in his heart because that truck was all he had in the name of property. We were just afraid how he will react to it. In fact we were almost speechless so far as paying lip service is concerned.’

 

‘He just sat on a stone piece and cast a sad look at the damaged truck. In a very normal tone he called his helper, "Oye yaar jo hona tha ho gaya. Ab rone ka kya fayada. Bhookh lagi hai puttar. (Whatever had to happen has happened. Crying won’t help. Son I’m hungry). Bring me some lumps of jaggery and water. Bad ki bad me sochenge. Pahle bhojan to kar le (We will think about future later, first let’s eat)." Saying this he invited all of us into the feast as well. All of us had our heartful lunch from the scattered provisions and claimed our parts, the one that really belonged to us...the one in our stomach. ' That old time episode still seems to light up his dimly lit path in the old age.

 

This is what is all about life buddy. It is no use crying over the spilt milk. We have to ensure that the show continues. Whatever is left after a storm is truly what belongs to us. We have to proceed with the journey with the depleted resources. Well, a journey is after all a journey fella! It is not justified that we expect all the pomp, show and regalia to accompany us till the end. Like Irfaan Khaan playacting Pan Singh Tomar said in the movie based on the Chambal athlete’s life: 'One has to complete the race! Winning and losing does not matter. All we can do is just try to reach the finish line!'