Even when I’m not traveling to this part of the world, I wonder why everyone is not on the same level. Why couldn’t we all be equal in terms of standards, value and lifestyle. Why are some so sickly rich and others devastatingly poor? We share a planet and it doesn’t mean a thing, we were all dealt different cards and that makes me sad.
As I leaned my head against the car window, I people watch, some of them are so simple here, they go about their business only interested in the income they’ll take home that day. Some of them sit in luxury vehicles unaware of their surroundings because they have too much to care. We stop at a traffic signal and I was approached by a little human. I was always told to ignore the beggars, if you feed one they all come. But in this moment my heart melted at the site before me and with consent I pulled down the car window.
She was selling balloons, her brown honey tangled hair matched her big brown eyes and her skin was bronzed by the Delhi sun. It seemed as if water hadn’t touched it for days. She had perfect little features that were tarnished with dust. Her petite stature was carried by dirty little feet, they caught your eye because the only accessory was the anklets that wrapped her frail ankles. She wore a gray tattered dress. Unlike the rest of the street sellers she didn’t say a word. But her eyes, they said everything. She shoved the balloons towards the window and I lost her for a minute. She instantly pushes them aside and I tried to guess her age, maybe 5? I shook my head to turn down the offer for the balloon as I handed over a bill. I watched her magnetic chocolate eyes light up as she grabbed the note from my hand. She pulled it towards her chest and held onto it tightly.
For a split moment I felt as if I had aided in making her life, yet this simple act had probably just made her day. Her frail body turned and skipped barefoot dodging through the traffic and I felt both happiness and sadness. This exchange of emotions and a note cost me nothing really. My thoughts transported me to a place where I saw her in school instead of on the street and I imagined her groomed and transformed into a version of pretty that she deserved.
I want to do more, I want to help in non monetary ways, be hands on and teach these girls the importance of an education, get them off the streets. For now all I could do was thank myself for this humbling experience that once in a while we need, so I can be thankful for everything I have. Everyday is a chance for me to pay gratitude to the universe that the life I live is a deserving one and that helping the less fortunate shouldn’t be a choice but a duty.