Choosing to Be Nice – It’s a Choice

We come across countless occasions where we have the opportunity to be nice! In our busy lives, chasing many materialistic ambitions, whether small or big, we often miss the magic of life—the small moments that bring a smile to others.

There was one incident I wanted to share. It was a Saturday morning (a decade ago), and I was traveling by train, on my way from the garden city to Coimbatore. You can imagine the crowd in the reserved compartment. A young lady named Gauri boarded the train at Salem station with her 3-year-old child, Kini. After about an hour, the train resumed its rhythmic dance and song, and the TTR (Train Ticket Examiner) came to check everyone’s tickets. When the TTR asked for Gauri’s ticket, she realized that her purse was missing, along with her ticket. Gauri was in complete shock; she didn’t know what to do.

The TTR began shouting at her, using language that was far from nice. Most passengers around Gauri were merely watching the whole episode, as the TTR continued to vent frustration. Kini, the child, began to cry, and soon Gauri was in tears as well. She didn’t have a mobile phone to inform her husband, who was waiting at Avinashi to pick them up.

I watched all of this unfold from my seat by the window. I’m not sure what I felt at that moment, but I knew I had to do something. I rushed over to the TTR and told her that I would pay the penalty and the cost of the ticket for Gauri. I asked her to please stop scolding. The TTR asked me who I was, and I replied, “Consider me her brother.” Gauri thanked me emotionally. That Rs. 500 was like Rs. 5 lakhs to Gauri at that point in time.

We can’t blame anyone in this episode. Imagine yourself in the shoes of Gauri, Kini, the TTR, the crowd that was watching, or even myself. What would you have done?

Each of us has certain prarabdha karma to face every day. But we can always choose to be nice! It’s a choice that all of us have.

Let us be kind! Love is God! Love is everything.

Ps: At the Avinashi station, Gauri’s husband Shankar received them, and they thanked me and returned the Rs. 500 as well!  What did I lose anything? Rather I gained a lot and started to understand life much better.