S for suffering

We have a maid who comes in the mornings to wash utensils. And this is her story.

Her name is Padma. Her husband was a watchman in the flats opposite our house. He was sincere and always ready to help. But he had one big problem. He was an alcoholic. Inspite of repeated warnings, he couldn't stay off alcohol. One fine day he was asked to leave and so he left with his wife and 2 kids. I don't know where they went.

And time flew.

One day Padma landed up at our place and told my mum that her husband drank himself to death. My mum decided to employ her. And so, she started coming to our house in the mornings
to earn a little money and feed her family.

Padma is one of many who knows the meaning of real suffering. Not our version of suffering but real suffering. The list is endless: widows, physically handicapped and mentally challenged people, lepers, orphans...What they experience is the real stuff.

All we need to do is look. Look outside and then look within. And for all you know, S for self pity will be replaced by S for suffering.