Lesson Learnt from a Kid

       It was vacation time and I was excited. I had planned a trip to my cousin's place and I was looking forward to it. It had been a long time since I visited her and it made the trip all more exciting. We had so much to catch up on and so many secrets to share. So many shopping trips to make and so many places to visit. Barely containing my excitement, I packed my bags and set out for her place.

       To say she was happy would be an understatement. She literally ran and hugged me when she saw me standing in the doorway and pulled me inside her home. We started chatting right away and made plans. The next evening, we decided to go to the beach near her place. I was looking forward to it a lot but due to the rain, we had to stay indoors. With nothing much to do, we decided to play chess to pass time.

       Let me tell you, she is a champion in the game. She has won many national level competitions and can give even the best players a complex. And there I was, just an average player. Though I could play well, in front of her skills, I knew I stood no match! But still, with nothing better to do, I agreed to her pleadings and thus started the game.

       One, three, five! I lost all the games in succession. Well, I had expected as much but still when I couldn't win even a single match, it hurt. Suddenly, I didn't feel like playing anymore. I was tired of losing the game. Still, mustering the little hope left inside me, I played once more and needless to say, I lost; again! Frustrated, I stood up and left saying I want some fresh air. I could hear her mocking laughter following me all the way.

       I stood in the veranda feeling stupid. It was stupid to react the way I did when I knew this would happen. But still, it was difficult to accept defeat. I stood staring at nothing in particular. The rain had subsided into a faint drizzle and I stood there lost in thoughts. A cackle made me aware of someone's presence. It was the kid from the neighborhood. He was barely two years old. She was playing in the garden. I stood there watching her, a smile on my face. There is something adoring with the kids. They can make you forget your bad mood and smile even when you are at your worst. 

       This kid was running behind a butterfly, trying to catch it. I could see she was mesmerized by it and was determined to catch it. But that never happened. She would run towards the flower on which the butterfly was sitting and as soon as she extended her hand, it would fly away. And when it did, she started chasing it again. The chase went on and on. I thought she would get tired of it but nothing of that sort happened. If anything, she looked happy. She didn't know the meaning of losing or giving up. All she knew was doing what made her happy.

       Suddenly, I felt optimistic. That kid had taught me a valuable lesson that day. With renewed hope, I went inside where my cousin was and said "How about we play one more game?"

PS: This story is written for housing.com in association with Indiblogger.

Until the next post,

Keep Smiling :)

Love,

Swathi :)