Friends, I am writing in this coulmn for the first time and I would like to share an incident that happened with me a few
years ago.I was a soldier once, Married to the uniform pledged my life and alliegnce to the nation,living on a set of principles was my life.I was posted in a Forward area when I came across a person who had lost all his family in a terrorist attack.His name doesnt matter,Growing up in those troubled times with death and destruction all around was a difficult task,especially when you are alone and have no one you can call your own.This Person earned his living mostly by ragpicking and selling sundry items to passerbys.There were times when he didnt have much to eat,yet he shared his food with a dog that was his constant companion.They could be frequently seen roaming in the hills in their spare times, living in a world of their own.I disctinctly remember the day when I first met him in a local shanty hotel,where he was trying to sell his wares to the people in the hotel,but he was violently shooed away by the hotel staff.I followed him out an bought a couple of things from him not that I needed those really, but somewhere down below I felt a liitle low as we both shared the same thing in life lonliness.But what I saw a few minutes later turned that feeling into respect and admiration.
Having taken the wares from him I came back into the hotel to finish my grub,I was
amazed to find him back in the hotel.He made himself comfortable and orderd for some food.I also observed an Old man with a child standing near the door looking inside,they looked tired and sad.People passed them by without giving them a second chance.This boy was constantly observed them too.He went towards them and brought them to the place he was having food.He asked them to have the food,went to the counter paid the bill and left.I was amazed as I wasnt able to understand as to why he left.I saw him the next day selling his wares again near our camp.I asked him as why he didnt have food and offered his share to the oldman and the child.The things he said changed my life forever.He said by eating the food I would only satisfy my hunger,but I wouldnt be able to sleep in the night if they would have left without having food.I tried giving him some money but he only smiled and left.