Discoveries

Blessings and gifts come in different shapes and forms. A breathtaking view, a casual chat with a stranger, even a certain aroma drifting from the kitchen of a shanty could be that gift which can trigger thoughts and feelings long buried or forgotten. These experiences have the power to generate newer thoughts and feelings as well. It is just that such gifts are lurking around every nook and corner, waiting to be discovered. I did find some such gifts offered to me over the last two days, when I decided to consciously stay alive and mindful of their abundant existence.

While riding along a lake with my little daughter, it was a pure blessing to catch strains of a lovely music wafting from some invisible quarters. Curiosity got the better of me. And I was rewarded with the find of two young extremely talented fellows, strumming their guitars and singing from behind a tower. The next hour or so spent listening to lovely music was absolute joy. It was humbling to hear that it was as fulfilling for these anonymous artists to have me by, as it was a delight for me to be there to listen to them!

Moving on, it was equally enlightening to have an insightful conversation with a nine year old business tycoon.

Karthik offered me wild berries (a local forest produce) in a paper cone (recycled resource) with a wide smile (happy customer engagement), ten bucks apiece.. He ran up to me the first time he saw me walking down (proactive approach towards potential customers). My refusal the first time to buy from him did not dissuade him from reaching out to me once again after an hour or so (perseverance) with an even wider smile (authenticity). I declining to buy from him once again did not dent his determination at all (self-belief), while he trotted off to other potential buyers with renewed energy and enthusiasm (faith in his offering/product). I was not surprised to find him to be the first one to have sold off his entire lot much before others who were engaging in similar enterprise.

I was compelled to halt him for a brief conversation; who knows what other important business lessons were lurking in his small head which I could learn from?

I asked him why did I not find him there yesterday.

“Oh, Yesterday? No, I don’t work on Saturdays and Sundays here.” He replied nonchalantly.

”But I thought Saturdays and Sundays is the best time for business, as there are so many people here over the weekend?” I inquired.

“Ha! That’s exactly what the problem is. The whole village thinks so and descends to this place over the weekend, selling wild berries. As result there are more sellers than buyers over the weekends here (supply vs demand). I use that time to catch up on watching TV at home.”

Wow! This guy knew his market. And a thing or two about work life balance too! I was speechless. I knew the interview was over.

I couldn’t resist digging into my pocket to compensate him for sharing pearls of wisdom with me. He received my offering with grace and trotted off happily.

Again, I was not surprised that he had walked off with an amount which was almost fifty percent of his day’s earnings, given to him out of my own free will. He had simply not persisted with selling his stuff but had managed to influence me with right attitude and highly pleasant behaviour, not to mention impressing me deeply with his acute business acumen.

My journey of receiving unexpected gifts continued, when my fifteen year old daughter, in the middle of a conversation on some trivial and mundane subject suddenly stopped me to say, “Oh that’s all fine. Tell me, have you ever experienced an epiphany in your life?”

“An what?” I fumbled.

“Oh, a moment of great revelation or deep understanding. Something that sifted things inside you big time, like. Kind of a moment of truth,” she responded, somewhat condescendingly.

There was momentary silence…..

Well, well, well…., time to grow up…….!! And learn a lot more….