Due to the volatile nature of memory, it is hard to retain all incidences of life in one’s mind. A search in the repertoire of one’s memory shows the planned, strategized and dogmatic happenings are less vivid, then the spontaneous, spur of the moment experiences, where the heart took the decision and the brain took the back seat. Scene by scene picture by picture they are stored in our brain cells. Perhaps, the elaborate storage of such incidences acts as a constant reminder to the mind that not always it rules our decisions. There is an organ below it who sometimes pulls the reins and accomplishes a task completely oblivion to the mind’s assessment of pros and cons. One cherishes such moments, speaks about them with pride and sense of achievement. I write about such an incident where the heart ruled the head, sensitivity prevailed over sense.
While mum was pursuing her graduation. Winters had hit the city very hard. Extreme weather conditions were in the forecast and the mercury just refused to rise. One morning when ma was leaving for her college, a scantily clad old man stopped her. In between the intervals of his shivers, he told her, he was extremely cold and wanted something to warm him. Without second thoughts ma hurried upstairs caught hold of her comforter and came down to wrap this around him. The man received more comfort from ma’s deeds than from her comforter he blessed her and walked away. Ma’s friends and her relatives have narrated this to me many times. I see pride and respect in the eyes of her near and dear ones when they recount the episode. For ma this was an instantaneous act where she listened to her heart and her head had to bow down. For me it is a lesson to be more liberal in the usage of my heart and definitely a soul stirring experience to hear a benevolent deed by my very own mother.
