Stories of Kindness from Around the World

I wanted to have tea with Nirad, in a tea break during an Inclusion retreat. Nirad is a person with a disability (a paraplegic in a wheelchair).

I was holding the cup so he could sip tea. I was being careful and poured a small quantity in his mouth. I enjoyed concentrating on each moment and listening deeply to do a good job with serving tea.

We were immediately connected and befriended each other during this time. Two other retreat participants joined and then there were four us, people talking about a variety of topics which ranged from how Nirad progressed in his education with grit to cool ones like how he maintains his weight, etc. These conversations brought smiles and it seemed we all knew each other from a long time ago. In subtle ways, we quietly felt the connection.

When we finished tea, I felt like tying a wrist thread for Nirad. The wrist-band had the letters that read 'WE' on one side and 'ME' on the other if read upside-down. This beautiful gift was received from the Moved By Love team.  (A non-profit volunteer organization in India) I told Nirad that my youngest brother is approximately his age, and he gave a sweet, calm smile. 

I felt deeply content during this tea-time. I had actually lived those moments, being present, compassionate & friendly. It was overwhelming and an experience of subtle joy. Later, during the retreat, each time myself and Nirad happened to greet or talk, we smiled naturally and felt connected.

It's sad that we don't connect deeply, even with our family or friends. We are just too busy running after things, going nowhere. We don't seem to concentrate or care enough for people during our conversations. I had these valuable realizations, later.

On the last day of the retreat, I told Nirad that, 'this was the best tea-time I ever had in my life'. He gave a warm, unforgettable smile.