One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all I needed to buy happiness. Yes, seriously. A coffee. Nothing makes me feel better, refreshed and energized then a hot, bitter coffee in the cold winter of Chicago.
As I sat in the coffee shop, looking at the snow covered pavement and very limited number of people passing by. A high pitched voice of a girl, full of pain diverted my attention. She was very sad. Her parents didn’t seem to care for her. They never respected her views, plans or needs. They refused her a holiday at Europe. The captain of the soccer team at her high school, who I understood from her description, was the most amazing man alive on the face of this earth, was not attracted to her like many other not so good looking men. And then there was this new girl who had joined the school recently, and was challenging her status of the prettiest girl in school.
She spoke amidst tears; regularly blowing her nose into the tissues that her understanding friend was supplying her. I turned my head to look at a sixteen, may be seventeen year old, very beautiful young lady. Her green eyes and silky blond hair were beautiful and she was genuinely grieved.
Suddenly I thought about my life. It had been ages since I thought about my life; I hardly find time for it.
I never had parents. Some very kind nuns who found me in the garbage can along the roadside, in a city of kerala in India, decided to raise me. My upbringing included a lot of prayers and studies. I still remember when I was beaten with a cane, till I could not feel my hands, for coming second in class sixth. I always topped my classes after that episode. Though it was much later that I realized the reason of such treatment was my guardians understanding that nothing but education could salvage my life. They were so right. And god was so kind to give them this understanding.
My friends are many, though I don’t remember any of them supplying me any tissues. God made me an instrument to happiness for many of them when I treated their children in the city hospital. They remember me years after their kids got discharged from the hospital and some even after the sad demise of their kids as they believe I did all I could do, to save their little angels.
Vacation, I had 8 years back when I went to Uganda, as a member of team of doctors to help children hit by the civil war. I sat on the elephant back. I will be indebted to god for that trip. I meet both my kids there, whom I subsequently adopted and bought here with me.
And the man in my life, my husband. He was the fire fighter who saved me, after our ambulance rushing a patient to the hospital, met with a serious accident. Oh my survival was a miracle. God is so kind.
About being attractive, I don’t know if I am one and I don’t care to be one. When I first met my husband , I have metal equipment pierced in my chest and left leg, so I am sure looks can’t be important. But I want to be more useful, definitely. There is so much for me to do, I should be returning to the hospital. Grace the lord who let me help his people.
I turned around again to see the poor young girl in pain one last time, and said a small prayer for her. Then I took my crutches and as I leaned on them to stand up, I thanked god again. He has kept the price of happiness so affordable for me, one dollar and eighty seven cents.
