I stopped at a traffic signal while driving back home on a leisurely Sunday. There was this random stranger who caught my attention. He was a man in his mid 40s wearing a cap and backpack and a placard in the front carrying quotes on "Safe Driving". He volunteered to stop the vehicles before the stop line and made sure all the riders passing that junction are following the traffic rules. If someone disobeys, he simply gestures them to be prompt. If he finds people who have been responsible enough to have obeyed the rules, he gives them a 'Thumbs up'. I was glad that I received his appreciation gesture for having fastened my helmet unlike some of my fellow riders whom he gestured to fasten. It felt good to have a simple act of responsibility being acknowledged. Within that short span of time for the signal to change over, I could notice the mixed responses he received. Some people cursed him for having disturbed them(which was actually reminding them to be safe and careful); some people greeted him with a handshake; some just obeyed his guidance and others just ignored. But even the people who ignored where repeatedly reminded to follow the road rules. Though he received quite a few responses, his only response to everyone was that glum face. I'm sure he must have mastered that art by so much practice. If he had been responding and reacting to everyone, he could not be there doing his job. Once the signal turned green, he quickly moved away making way for the vehicles and simply waited for his next turn. Though several months have passed, I still find this man very inspiring and as an example of many people fighting their own battle, still determined to make a change in the society in every small opportunity they get.
I have found myself in similar situations, i have this strange feeling of letting people stand near the exit in trains. If I come across such people, I usually tell them to come inside a little bit. Some people give dirty looks as if I was intruding their personal space. Some times the number of silly passengers are way too much and I find myself in complete hatred for them but then that sense of fear always comes back to urge the passengers to get in. This just doesn't stop here. When I talk with my friends on why some silly practices have to go away from this society, I always het hurled with questions like whether I will be changing the whole world myself. The world always tries to forge you into thinking how insignificant your contribution is, forgetting the fact that many a drop definitely makes an ocean. For instance there was a topic in our discussion on why Dowry is a bad thing and what is more worse is girls demanding so much from parents. When i said all this farce, All my well educated highly-earning girls pounced on me with "You will change everything?", "You live without asking and tell others", "The whole world is like that only. I don't find it wrong as long as it is not too much." Who decides the 'too much' by the way?
People who blame the society to escape their own wrong doings are the ones who find pleasure in being slaves to the society. They never try to make a change possible but conveniently takes pride in the society and our fore fathers to bash others in the name of culture.
This random stranger is a representation of everyone who takes their own step everyday to change what they want to get away with; who fights the same society to make it a better place; who battles all the obstacles hindering their own dreams and others; who becomes emotionless to the negativities but never let them take over their future course of actions; who genuinely believes change begins from our own self and in a gentle way we can shake the world like Gandhiji said.
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