Selvi’s day starts at 4am, rain or shine. Selvi is a tea picker in Anamalai. After getting her family off to work and school, she starts work at 8 am, and goes back to complete household chores till 9 pm, by when she is ready to drop. And her work is in the open tea gardens, a very scenic setting for a holiday, but to work? When the sun is out, it is darn hot; when it rains, work doesn’t stop, but goes on with leeches and biting cold and wet clothes adding to the challenges. And Selvi is proud of the fact that she is the ace picker. She told me that she sometimes goes upto 90 kilos a day.
When I first met Selvi,at 5 pm in the estate, she had just finished her last picking of the day and was standing in line for her tea bag to be weighed, posted against her name and for her day at work to end. Given the long hard day, where it had been raining on and off, and the cold wind, both of which she had to tolerate and continue working, and also the fact that she was standing there, picking leeches off her legs, I expected her to at least look vexed, if not downright irritated and upset at her fate.
On the contrary, Selvi was humming softly to herself, and when I went by, she gave me a big cheerful smile. When she saw I spoke tamil, she was delighted, and started chatting with me – inviting me to her home for tea! She was eager to know all about me, and was keen to tell me about her daughter who was entering college – the first in their family!
I was struck by Selvi’s obvious positive and cheerful outlook that day – her life was tough, was harsh, physically and emotionally, she had very little, how could she be this way? ‘I feel sorry for you Selvi, life is tough. How do you manage?’
Her response stunned me. ‘Why do you say it is tough? I have a job that gives me a house to live in; I eat three square meals a day; I have clothes to wear; I have a lot of friends, and we joke and laugh when we work, and that is fun; I am fortunate that I am healthy, my daughter is a good student and I am proud of her; Once a month, I get to watch a movie, and last month I saw a Rajinikant movie – what more do I need?’
‘Also, I know this is my life. It is easier to face every day with a smile, and enjoy it, rather than look at someone else, say you, and wish I was you. How do I know your life is better, or happier? More things don’t mean more happiness!’
Selvi, like Harish, turned out to be Krishna!
After all, like she pointed out, Life is simple, and when you get to the heart of it, our real needs is also simple and basic. I am fortunate that these basic needs are met, and I should rejoice in that good fortune. She also reminded me that ‘Have’ and ‘have not’ is a matter of perspective. Selvi did not feel any ‘have not’ in her life – she focused on what she had, and her gratitude and contentment kept her positive and happy.
And most important, Selvi drove home the fact that irrespective of my circumstances, the choice to be happy or unhappy is in my hands. And it makes darn good sense to choose happiness, like Selvi did. I need to go through my life, irrespective, and going through with a smile and a positive attitude makes it easier and better.
Thank you Selvi, for one more life lesson! I am now going to actively look for more such Krishna’s around me. Write in if you have someone like this in your life!
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This Is amazing…just when I am at the hospital thinking why me…..