Lily in Dark - Beautiful, Delicate yet with Strong Impactful Fragrance!

After a normal busy day at office, me and my friend were heading back home through the normal busy weekday traffic, nothing really new, everything seemed normal, until we had almost reached our apartment complex. It was around 5:30 PM MST, but its already dark due to early sunsets these days. We drove past the back gate of the apartment complex, when we noticed a blind girl trying to figure her way around a pile of snow mixed slush on the sidewalk.

I had seen her couple of times in the complex but never really met her. Both me and my friend notice her and go like, "Awe!!!".

Lily in Dark!!! (Courtesy - Google Images)

My friend slows down and goes "Do you want to help her?".

I am like "Yeah, Ummm".

And he stops the car and says "You can if you want to".

I get down from the car and rush towards her.By then she has already figured her way around that pile and was finding her way to the gate.

I walk up to her and ask, "Can I help you?"

She replies very sweetly "Oh No. I think I made it."

I say "I will walk with you till your building".

She Says "Thank you. Can you just check if there are bugs on my head? I had to walk under the tree to make way through the snow. I don't like bugs. I am a very clean person and because I cannot see I am more cautious of bugs".

I switch on my mobile and check her head and say "No, you are clear, just a few dry leaves".

She goes " I did not know the side walk was closed. I generally find way back home".

As I walked with her I was observing the way she used her cane to find the path, and a sweet smiling expression she had on her face as she talked on and on; I just smiled with admiration.

She goes to a college, travels in a bus, knows India, was planning to travel to Bhopal to help a NGO, and so on.

We reached her building, she searched for keys in her bag, tried opening the door. I did not intervene, one thing I have learnt about special people is that they don't like being treated special. The first key was wrong, she fiddled and found the next one and opened the door. I held the door open for her and we walked in.

She said "Well, thank you so much. Can I hug you?"

I need not mention how elated I was, I said "It would be my pleasure."

I hugged her and kissed her goodbye.

As I walked back to my apartment, I was smiling. Not because I did something great, but because I got to see someone so special and beautiful.

Few moments spent with her made such a profound impact. It's not a feeling of "Oh how lucky I am that I am so privileged". No. I don't need to look at people in challenged situations to appreciate what I have. I have always found myself lucky and happy with whatever I am, and have always loved my life. So no, the impact was not in that direction.

It's a feeling of how much we can get out of life, and yet how little we live.

Giving up at slightest touch of tough times, wondering all bad things happen to only us, trying hard to be serious and stopping to smile as we grow old to show signs of maturity, always thinking inside the box defined by worldly rules.

I have always advocated Living one's Life in one's own way outside the box. And walking down the path with her, my notions about life just got stronger. I thank her, for letting me walk with her for those 12-15 minutes. I will remember and cherish it for life.

Her name was Lily; and I must say she was beautiful and delicate like a Lily yet carrying strong fragrance to impact any life she touches.

-Sarita
Dated : 8th December 2015

(It's amazing how sometimes a normal day can turn into something memorable as this)

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