One Christmas I’ll always remember…..

Every year Christmas has meant either a get together with family and friends where we decorate a small tree, prepare something special to eat, play secret Santa for an entire week just before Christmas and party with friends at night, or attend an authentic Christmas lunch or dinner with family and friends and party later on. Christmas like every festival has always spelt joy and happiness……..25th dec 2009, is one Christmas I will always cherish. More so because I felt a different kind of joy altogether….”joy of giving”

My friends had been asking me “what are we doing Ash?”, “Decide fast, or we wont get passes/tickets etc.”, “Ash when will you decide? We need to sign the guest list”, “Catholic club?Athenas?13th floor?fuga?blah blah blah??” someone even wanted to go to Goa! I somehow did not feel like partying this year esp. on Christmas for some strange voice from within that was saying something else which I kept vaguely listening to until the 24th. I was unable to understand my reluctance, and low enthusiasm to be with friends. I meditated for a bit and knew what I was doing the next day.

With three large bags of gifts, I entered “Sumedha little home”, an orphanage supported by “Helpline Charitable Trust”, where I met so many angels, little ones, running around a very beautifully decorated Christmas tree. First hurting thing that I noticed was that 85% of them were girls. It’s so sad how “she” is thrown away the minute she is born. As I placed my gifts near the tree, I felt the first whiff of “joy”

I met a Danish guy Paul, who works for “Danish Indian Children” who is in Blr for ten days, and would be going to Calcutta and then Chennai before returning. This was my second whiff of “joy”, to see how far people travel to help, how much someone can give to see a smile on someone else’s face. This was very inspiring. If this was his mission, his purpose of this life, I’m so happy I met someone like him who is doing it with such honesty.

We played a lot of games like passing the parcel, musical chair (which I won ;)), Chinese knot, memory and many more with those angels, before cutting a ten kilo black forest cake sponsored by Paul. I personally interacted with few of them, to really understand what they felt and what they desired. They are just like us. You and me, only a lot more mature and independent. Some were very angry with life (I can understand why), others were dreaming of great careers. I felt that they were really well behaved and well trained with how to speak, how to eat, how to generally behave in public, and be disciplined.

It was amazing to hear them converse in Hindi, English and Kannad. They are being educated. It’s sad but true that kids HAVE to grow up when their parents leave them…at WHATEVER age!

I loved all kids there, but I specially liked Gautam, a four year boy, who was shy, and very quiet. I noticed that he kept staring at my box of “munch” I had won in the musical chair game, but refused to take it when I offered. I offered and failed, I coaxed and failed. He kept shyly nodding a “no thank you”, until I requested “will you please share my chocs?” and he got off his chair and took my box with both his little hands (this was when I felt “joy” again) and opened it, only to take two! What self respect. I was impressed. I did not coax him to take more. Maybe i could understand how he might have felt. Sympathy was the last thing I wanted him to think I felt for him.

We sang a lot of songs, carols etc. then began opening the gifts. It was such a wonderful feeling to watch them all so excited YET behaving themselves. They loved everything they received, unlike few of us who can only crib. We must learn from these kids, they truly understand the essence of life, and I salute the ones who are teaching them and educating them rightly.

Dinner was arranged by the same NGO. I contributed a cheque from my side and bid them goodbye, when Paul asked me if I’d be interested in more of such things. I signed up with his organization.

I did not go to a glam/ happening party this Christmas, but I’m feeling so blessed tonight :) , and pray for a very bright future for Our future. I would typically pen this experience in my personal diary, but I thought it would really be nice to share it with everyone. Thank you for reading.