I was feeling a bit rushed this morning. It was already 8.55 am. I wasn’t anywhere close to being ready, and I had a dentist’s appointment at 9.40 am. My son was helping me book an Uber, but none was available at the time. Amidst the rush of drying my hair, finding clothes to wear that felt right and packing warm socks to wear on the dentist chair, I coaxed or should I say ordered my son to go down and call a rickshaw.

As I approached the gate to leave home, I realized he hadn’t had any luck in finding me a ride. I saw many rickshaws pass by and I anxiously waved to each of them, only to soon enough discover that they were already taken. The time was already 9.20 am now, and I started desperately scanning for neighbour friends, heading out of the apartment hoping to hitch a ride with them to a rickshaw. I decided to call the dentists office to let them know that I would be late, and the receptionist asked to reschedule to another date if I wasn’t able to get there on time.

Just then, a rickshaw stopped across the street; I noticed a frail old lady sitting at the back. She and the rickshaw driver waved to me. As soon as I walked towards them, the woman motioned me to get into her rickshaw; she said not to worry and offered to drop me somewhere I would catch a cab, even though she was going in a different direction.

Feeling grateful for her generosity towards me, I settled peacefully into my ride. As she started speaking to me, I paid more attention to her appearance. She looked like she was in her late seventies. Even though she was frail and looked impoverished, the wrinkles on her face and the twinkle in her eyes, told a whole different story. I noticed she was carrying a walker and her feet was swollen, black & blue, almost double its usual size.

She started to make conversation with me, telling me that it was a no brainer, she just had to stop and share a ride with anyone who was stuck on the street. She mentioned that she was on her way to the hospital; she showed me her leg. It looked terrible. When I asked her how she would manage to go alone to the hospital, she told me that a friend was going to meet her there and also help pay for her medicines. The skeptic in me expected her to ask me money, for the help she was offering, but she continued talking about the other stuff.

Our conversation came to a stop as soon as I got to my destination. As I was getting out of the rickshaw, she looked deep into my eyes, smiled and wished me well for the day. Without any thought, I quickly dug my hands into my bag and pulled out some notes, handed it to her and told her she could use it for her treatment. Before any more words were expressed between us, we went our separate ways.

Less than a week ago, during my last trip to the dentist, I had offered to share my ride with someone who was desperately looking for a cab. And today I was the recipient of that same experience. Love how the universe works!

While at my dentist, I recalled that whole experience, feeling incredibly grateful. The divinity in her had bowed to the divinity in me during that brief interaction between us. I suddenly remembered asking her for her name; it was Nalini. I had to urge to look up the meaning of the name. Nalini means Heaven’s calm; Lotus; Sweet nectar. Lotus holds a lot of significance to me. I had been working around the theme of the lotus for a few days now, and today I witnessed one. Coincidence one would say. I say MAGIC!

 

Sheena Yusuf
Life & Relationship Coach (CPCC)
Professional Photographer

sheenayusuf@gmail.com
http://www.sheenayusuf.com
http://livingwabisabi.org