Monday, April 13, 2009

Make someone smile

The week is going to be a long one, hectic and tiring.

With these thoughts, I entered the wash room to groom myself before I got into my cube to face a daunting tasks ahead. I was early and the janitor had not yet done with her wash room maintenance. I did not care to acknowledge her presence, my mind full of tasks in hand for the week. As I did with my wash and grooming, I picked up my laptop, hand bag and a carry bag and headed towards the door. I was about to struggle with the door handle to open it when she opened the door for me. I acknowledged her gesture and smiled at her while saying "Thank you".

Guess this was unexpected of me. This simple gesture brought a 100 watt smile on her face and she gushed "OK Madam". What amount of happiness this brought to her!!! I walked away feeling a sense of joy to have made someone happy.

Then realized, how many of my "I am sorry" outwits the number of "Thank you" each day and was ashamed of it.

19 comments:

  1. hii sis :)

    life is all about such sweet things yaar... such cute compliments can uplift anyone's mood

    :)

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  2. Very true sista! You get such joy by seeing others happy!

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  3. Nice blog. Saying "thank you" brings all sorts of magic. Even in the business world, saying "thank you" (in so many different ways) is a powerful competitive advantage. It would be nice if that janitor gets a "thank you" in an envelop during Diwali time.

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  4. you are a gem of a person. :-)

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  5. Hey Gautam,

    You are a fake. Stop praising every blog.

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  6. Gautam,

    What the heck? I am no gem and all. Come on, yeah stop praising me. See someone is jealous!!!!

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  7. Thank you Vivek for visiting my blog. Your statement hints you have read most of my posts. Did Gautam do any bad to you by any chance? Hehehehehehe....

    On a serious note, thanks for your critical comments.

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  8. True Mano. But it must be genuine from the heart. Most people fake out.

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  9. I am not jealous. I am not angry. I thought that complement (gem of a person) for saying “thank you” to a janitor was a little bit too much.

    A friend of mine told this incident. It happened some time ago on the outskirts of Chennai.

    A couple were crying on the side of the street where the dead body of their 10 year old daughter was lying on the ground. They had to go to a village near Villupuram. The taxi driver demanded Rs.2,500.00. They did not even have Rs.250.00. They said they would pay the driver upon reaching their village. The taxi driver refused. There were more than 50 people gathered around and just watching. They did nothing. Never tried to help this couple. One guy came there. He asked what happened. They told him the story. He took out Rs.2,500.00 from his pocket and gave to the couple. Told the driver he would get his money upon reaching the village and asked him to start the taxi. And, the driver did. The couple asked for this guy’s address so they can send him the money later. He said that that will not be necessary.

    When I heard that story, I thought he was “gem of a person”.

    I am sorry if I hurt someone. I was overcome by emotion.

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  10. Hey Vivek,

    Chill! I completely understand. I was just trying to pull Gautam's leg by mentioning that "someone was jealous". The person who helped the couple is really a great man. Its not about Rs 2500, but his gesture. Kudos to him.

    Knowing Gautam well, I feel his comment was not specific to this post but was generic; that he knowing me personally. Yet I refuse to accept his praises.

    This particular incident that I posted actually embarrassed me. If you read my last line, I mentioned I am ashamed at the number of times I say "sorry" than a "thank you". It really made me think for a moment how my simple gesture made the lady happy.

    My intention here is to share how privileged I felt when I got this chance to make someone smile.

    Glad that you followed up on my comments and replied to it. Please don't be sorry, you have not hurt anyone. Considerate of you I must say. Thanks again :-)

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  11. On second thoughts, maybe the way I chose my words for the post was wrong. I only wanted to share what joy it brought to me when my simple gesture made the janitor happy.

    The intention here is not to project myself as an angel by my "thanks". There's no magnanimity attached to it. Simple thing, which made me happy and the lady happy.

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  12. Dear Mr. Vivek,

    It is basic commonsense to consider all relevant details before you take the liberty to enlighten us with your "valuable" critics. Are you suggesting that Bindu is not a gem? Or did you find it disturbing that this blog did not have enough substance to corroborate my claim?

    Undoubtedly, a person who does a good deed is a gem. Just because a person did not have an opportunity to do something that falls in your "good-deed-list-that-qualifys-a-person-to-be-a-gem", does not make him/her less gem of a person that he/she already is. Maybe Bindu did not do an extra ordinary thing that particular day. So are you suggesting that a person is a gem on day and not on the other? You are mistaken my friend.

    Everyone might say "Thank you" to the janitor, but not all would look back and feel happy just for the reason that they made someone happy. It requires a special heart to feel such little things in life. I would say that it behooves a person to have a thin coat of resistance to let such little things affect him/her as much as Bindu was affected. I know Bindu well enough to know if she is a gem or not. So please try not to sway the things coming out of you without control. (Just in case you missed, I'm being sarcastic here.)

    Best wishes,
    Gautam.

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  13. Individual hero worship! Only in our country. I am going to move on.

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  14. Guys,

    Please stop it. Enough is enough!!
    Each one of you have a certain opinion, stick to it. I surely am appalled at the importance given to such a minor thing.

    End of this!

    Vivek,

    No one is a hero here. And certainly Gautam doesn't "worship". Your comment clearly points out your overwhelming emotions. Anyways thanks for visiting my blog and for your critical comments. You are always welcome to post your views and thoughts.

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  15. I said I am going to move on. Therefore, I am going to keep my word and comment on nothing. I have a lot to say after reading your latest comment. But I don't want to come down so low. I like your blog. I will continue to read.

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  16. Thanks Vivek. I just want to put an end to this comment-bashing. I want you to know that I respect your views and as well as everyone else's. Each one has a say and each believe they are right. But no one is influential enough among the three of us here involved to change one another's views. Are we? So lets stay put.

    And glad that you like my blog.

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  17. ha ha.. what a comedy.

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  18. i was laughing about this the whole day. ha ha... enna vechi onnu camadi geemadi onnum pannaliye?

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  19. Apologies if I have offended anyone here. My intentions were genuine and I wanted to put an end to this. Feel to delete the post altogether... But I would let it stay.

    Vivek,

    If you are reading this, no offense. All are equal here. I appreciate your graceful behavior and thanks

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I'd love to know what you thought :-) Please shoot!