Are We Becoming Heartless??

I had always believed that human beings were different from animals in the sense that they have something called the rational mind which could think ‘straight’. But very recently the thought shattered into pieces. I got to know that people can call themselves ‘human’ and behave otherwise.

Now that I have confused things so much I will somehow get to the point. The other day I was travelling by bus from Thiruvanmiyur to Ambattur in 47D; much to my surprise the bus had a few empty seats and I comfortably occupied one of them…the bus filled to its capacity within the next couple of minutes and I was nearly dozing then.. Somewhere near Adyar two kids; a girl and a boy got into the bus. They must be something like three or four years old and were on their own…

They jostled into the bus and with great difficulty got hold of an iron bar a few seats before me…

The kids looked famished and wore torn n soiled clothes. They were physically challenged; both of them were deaf and dumb and the boy, I suppose had difficulties in walking too.


I kept looking at them as they both communicated with each other. It was a treat to the eyes I would say. Their hands spoke, their eyes spoke and their body language perfectly complemented for the left out gap in communicating their thoughts. They made fun of each other and were in their own worlds.


Suddenly I heard a young girl scream at them and push them away from the seat. Somebody next to the girl had got up to leave and these kids were too enthusiastic to get seated. But the girl dint want them to sit it seems... What-the-hell I thought. There was no one else to get seated there as it was for ladies and what problem could she have in the kids being seated there. She looked smart in jeans and tee and looked decent enough. She had protested because these children were nasty and dirty. "how can I have dirty things next to me" she asked the people around. Nobody bothered to reply and she pushed away the kids from the seat!!!

I couldn’t contain myself any longer. I rudely told her that children were not dirt and made them sit next to me. Of course they had soiled clothes So what???
I wonder what sort of a girl she is. Why couldn’t she see the beauty in the child rather than the dirt on their clothes???Where are the so called virtues called compassion and love???


As I had the kids next to me I could find them as happy as ever. I had tears in my eyes when I gazed at them. I wondered if I have ever done anything for such kids. I felt ashamed of myself that instant…


When I got down from the bus I kissed them on their cheeks with tears in my eyes and wished that they were as happy as ever no matter what ever life had in store for them.


The thing to be pondered over here is where is humanity heading towards???