Be Sensitive

Mohan kaka, a postman in Madhopur post office, had been delivering mail in the village for many years. He got a letter for a new address where he had never been before. As usual, he picked up his bag in the morning and started walking and distributing the mail. After finishing all the letters in next few hours, he turned towards the new address.

On reaching there, he knocked gently on the door called, "Postman!"

From the house, he heard a girl's voice, "Kaka, please slip the letter under the door."

"What an arrogant person! I have walked such a long distance to give this letter to her; but can't she even have the courtesy of receiving it herself?", the thought crossed Mohan kaka's mind.

"Please come out and collect it. Its a registered letter, you need to sign its receipt." Mohan kaka said, with obvious irritation in his voice.

"Ok, wait a minute", the girl in the house said.

Mohan kaka waited for several long minutes but nothing happened. He was beginning to lose patience and gave a loud knock on the door, "What is taking you so long? Please hurry up. I don't have whole day.. I have so much work."

Finally when the door opened, it was a moment of sudden paradigm shift for Mohan kaka. He was taken aback to see a teenage girl without legs, struggling to crawl and open the door.

The girl smiled and said, "Sorry kaka I took so much time. Where do I need to sign?"

Mohan kaka was so full of remorse for his impatient behavior that he could not utter a word. He got the signature, handed over the letter and walked back without saying a single word. The image of the girl trying hard to move continued to trouble him for next several days.

A couple of weeks later, there was another letter for the same address. Once again Mohan kaka walked to the house at the end after distributing rest of the post. He was determined this time to correct his past behavior and be more nice to the girl.

He knocked gently on the door and said, “Postman! I do not need your signatures today. Should I slip it under the door?"

"No kaka, wait, I am just coming", said the girl from inside.

Kaka waited with anticipation of meeting her again. After several minutes the girl appeared on the door with a gift-wrapped packet in her hands.

"Kaka, here is a gift for you, give me my letter please", she said, smiling.

"You don't need to give me a gift beti. I am not doing any favor to you, it is my duty.", Mohan kaka said with hesitation.

The girl said, "Please accept it kaka. Its a humble request."

Mohan kaka reluctantly took the packet from the girl and walked back home. He was getting curious to know what is inside. On reaching home as soon as he opened the packet and saw the gift, his eyes welled up with tears.

There was a pair of slippers in the packet. Mohan kaka has been doing his duty barefoot all these years but no one had paid attention to it so far, and this girl spotted it in their first meeting itself. Nothing could be more valuable gift for Mohan kaka.. he started crying and saying repeatedly, "She gave me slippers; but alas! I can not give her feet!"

Sensitivity is all about feeling someone's pain and to try to help. Without any doubt, it is one of the most noble human values. If a girl without feet can be sensitive about Mohan kaka's bare feet, it is a source of inspiration for you and me. Let us look around us, and resolve to be more sensitive towards our family, friends, neighbors, and society.

Let us try to spread cheers and gift 'slippers' to at least one barefoot that we come across.