622. When Adversity Strikes...

"How is your father?" Sampath asked his friend Bhaskar.

"He had been brisk and active all along, but he suddenly had a heart attack. After getting treated in the hospital for a few days, he was brought home only a couple of days back. The doctor has advised him bed rest for a few months" replied Bhaskar.

"Oh, God! Should this happen at this time?"

"It should be considered a blessing in disguise. Since I was home, being under suspension, I was able to take him to the hospital immediately. I also had the time to be near him and attend to him. If I had been working, getting leave from the company would have been difficult" said Bhaskar, smiling.

"It is amazing to me how you manage to be cheerful, after what has happened you. Every one in our company knows that our Manager has made you a scapegoat, to cover up his wrongdoing. Everybody is sympathetic towards you and angry with our Manager, for the injustice he has done to you."

"Oh, I am grateful to all of you for your trust in me. I hope that the truth will come out during the enquiry and that I will be restored in my position. But I may have to wait for a couple of months for this to happen."

"How will you manage till that time? You have to take care of the medical expenses of your father also."

"Yes. It is going to be a problem. My father was going for a part-time job and earning some money. That income has stopped now. Since I am under suspension, I will get only fifty percent of my pay. My finances are going to be tight" said Bhaskar, in a matter of fact manner.

"You are stating your problems, as if narrating the problems of someone else. If I were to face such problems, I would go mad. You are facing your situation calmly. I am sorry that I am not in a position to offer you any help. I can lend you a small amount of money, if you need" said Sampath, apologetically.

"I feel gratified by your intention to help me. I will ask you, if I feel the need. I hope that things will become normal soon" said Bhaskar.

"How did you meet the hospital expenses? Did your father have any medical insurance?"

"No. There was no medical insurance. I may get a small amount from our company's Family Welfare Scheme. But I can't apply for the aid, when I am under suspension. My wife had some jewels given to her by her father as marriage gift. And, there are pawn shops to finance against pledge of gold jewelry! So I had managed. I have managed the situation till today. I don't know how the situation will be tomorrow, but I am hopeful that the path will keep getting cleared, as I move forward."

"When I try to imagine how I would have coped with a situation like the one you are in, I feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the challenge. Seeing how you have been facing the challenges without getting perturbed even a little, I feel that I should learn to emulate your approach at least to a small extent" said Sampath, in a voice choked by emotion.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 63
Unfazed in the Face of Trouble

Verse 623 (in Tamil):
veLLaththu anaiya idumbai aRivudaiyAn
uLLaththin uLLak kedum.

Meaning:

Floods of tribulation will be wiped away,

when the wise set their minds on overcoming it.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'GnAyiRRuk kizhamai paper' by the same author.) 

Verse 624 (Soon)
Verse 622