It is a norm on Wednesdays to visit Her – a practise in me since years. I sit there for hours together, talking to her, confessing, arguing, watching others break down, at times I myself breaking down...and sometimes, just staring at her. In fact I know, I do not have to talk or update her typically (giggle) - Mother Mary knows it all... and she knows it the best!
One of the recent Wednesdays, I’d been there like all weeks; the only difference was that this time I chose to go there during late afternoon and not morning. The shop I buy my offerings from was shut and like any other shrine, the alternatives to buy our requirements from were many. I just randomly chose the one that caught my attention first and walked towards it. A very pleasant looking shopkeeper welcomed me; he would be in his forties, may be. “Vanga ma...enna ma venam? (Come my dear, what would you like to buy?) ”, he asked politely. I told him what I needed. In the meanwhile there came a lady, who from the very look of her face could be told was immensely disturbed and upset. She browsed through the shop...did not know what to ask for...looked at the candles and asked, “Enna venduthal panna palan kedaikum? Mezhukupathi yethina nallatha? (What kind of prayers would help? Is offering candles to God good?). The shopkeeper smiled and politely told something in Tamil, the translated version of which is – “It is not about what we offer madam, it is the faith that you have in Her (Mother Mary) that matters. If you look at these candles or anything in this shop for that matter as just an offering, it would not bring no difference. It is purely your prayers from deep within and the faith in the Almighty that will bring in the change. If not, candles would remain just as pieces of moulded wax! Trust Her, pray to Her, leave everything to Her and She will lead you through safely. She is our Mother and She knows it all, She knows it the best!” He wrapped what the lady and I wanted and gave us our respective packets. The lady smiled, took the packet and left for the church and I was digging my bag to take money. That was when I overheard the shopkeeper’s conversation with an auto-rickshaw (one of the many that was parked outside the church) driver, and I’m glad I could. “The other night I was sleeping by this footpath and it began pouring cats and dogs!! It was so difficult for me to get up immediately and rush to a shelter anna (elder brother). By the time I struggled my way through to get to my vehicle itself I was completely drenched. I just waited beneath the tree, wet and shivering until dawn. Unlike others, I cannot rush immediately no and I did not have anyone to help me either...what to do?” saying this I saw him smile and wink at the auto driver, who just patted him affectionately.
This lovely person I saw at the shop is lame. He did not have both his legs and is hand-cycle-ridden. He has his shop set-up at the entrance of the church and earns his living, thus. He is not as blessed as we all are, yet his words of encouragement are golden! He could have had many complaints about his disability, instead he sits there parting words of courage to the ones in pain. Does he not have no pain? I’m sure it is much more than what many of us are going through or have gone through! His faith on the Almighty has hugely strengthened my years-long faith on Her even more...it has made it N-number of times stronger and it will remain undeterred, as always! When the world walks away from you, just remember that the most powerful was, is and will always be with you!
I paid him, thanked him and walked into the shrine for my prayer session. I once turned back and saw him yap away to glory with the driver...laughing out loud, smiling and pleasantly welcoming all the worshippers to his shop - “Vanga ma...enna ma venam?”
