GOD and GUSTAD……(11). …………………….. THE PRESENT.

Gustad’s cab was flagged down by a portly gentlemen near the Thomas Cook office on D.N.Road. “ Get me to Andheri ASAP” were the terse instructions,  the cab shook as this passenger settled down in the rear seat.

Through most part of the journey , this man was shouting into his cellphone at whomsoever he spoke to. In order to get that person to agree with his views , he would end the call saying “ Don’t you know who I am?”

“Another one bursting with  hot air” thought Gustad to himself as they neared Dadar. “God, he is asking others if they know him ? doesn’t he know that himself ? what makes these guys tick?”

“Most of mankind has ‘acquired’ this over time and evolution” boomed God’s voice in Gustad’s ears. “Perceptions of your own importance have been reinforced as you grow and start acquiring more and more materialistic values.”

“Drive faster you idiot, I will be late for the inauguration” shouted the passenger from the backseat. ”My wife took the driver and car for her kitty party and so I am stuck with you !” completely oblivious to the traffic snarl that was crawling through Mahim now.

Gustad muttered under his breath “ I bet if I prick this prick with my fingernail he will burst like a helium  filled ballon”, and smiled from the corner of his lips as The Almighty continued -

“If we can visualise ourselves – ‘externally’ from a distance. How much that distance should be is directly in proportion to the size of our ego. If our ego is supersized then outer space is the recommended distance. No, I am just kidding, but it is of primary importance to look at yourself from a distance till you are an atomic sized speck on your own visible horizon. Yet you are SO important to your daily routine of rising, brushing and rushing through your daily ablutions to dive into your daily rote of madness to realize you need to slow down. Take a deep breath, pause to smell the flowers, listen to the birds chirping.”

There is NOTHING more important than living your life the way I have designated for each of you.”

The rude passenger was hyper ventilating by now , as they neared Khar…”Stop the cab you snail, you worm, a bullock cart would have been faster”. Gustad wanted to strangle him by now, but his communication with The Almighty made him hold back as he stopped his car and the passenger got off ,threw a Rs.500.00 note through the window and yelled “keep the change, I’ll find another cab”. The man suddenly looked very vulnerable and helpless as he  stood on the road surrounded by vehicles honking for him to get out of their way.  “Let him go” said the Lord and continued ;“Agreed , everybody needs  to earn their daily bread and put dinner on the table for their families. But who said you need to end up dead and exhausted at the end of every day in this pursuit?

When you see yourself as a part of the LARGER picture , you are actually miniscule sized. Like a tiny ATOM. Keep THIS size firmly in sight and then try contributing as much POSITIVITY as you can, to make things matter and MAKE A CONNECT WITH DIVINITY. People who lose sight of their SIZE , or rather over estimate their importance to “ society”, meet with disappointment invariably, even distressing all the people whose lives are affected by their actions. The EGO is undisputedly the worst enemy of mankind.

“It is a good idea to stay rooted to the ground we walk on , as any disconnect activates the leveling forces of nature , which are completely non discriminating and impartial. When you sow a Banana plant , that is what will grow, how can you expect a lemon tree?”

Just then there was a knock on Gustad’s window. The same passenger who had ranted at him a while ago looked him in the eye and said “I’m sorry for all that shouting, please forgive me , will you drop me at Andheri? I will pay you double the fair I can’t find any other transport.”

“Sure , get in and just pay me by the meter.”

The pompous and blustering fare was reduced and humbled to tears.

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."
- MotherTeresa -(1910-1997).

“Sir, may I say something that my father always used to tell me?” asked Gustad, as the passenger nodded his head profusely. He was choking with emotion and could barely utter a word.

“There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared , is doubled. If you want to feel rich , just count all the things you have that money can’t buy. Today is a GIFT, that is why it is called The Present.”