A breakthrough in medical science,
a rare success all shall feel envious of,
an achievement all shall get the benefit!
The world shall honour him for this great feat!
To the conference of the experts in a distant city,
with excitement and joy he starts his journey.
But what is this? After an hour in the midair
the pilot makes an announcement
for an emergency landing, the engine is faulty!
Disappointment writ large on his face,
after landing as he rushes to the ground staff,
‘Is there a connecting flight to my destination?’
‘Not for the coming ten hours, dear sir,
but there is an alternative.’
‘It is four hour’s drive from here;
Sir, hire a car for an easy solution.’
‘Thank you’, off he drove with great hope.
But not for long; the sky soon became dark,
thunderstorm and heavy rain made driving risky;
the eager award-aspirant took a wrong turn
and headed to a wrong destination on rough roads.
Soon he lost his path, hunger and thirst played havoc.
He was far from civilization and a far cry was his destination;
all of a sudden a flicker of a candle he could see,
‘At this odd hour who there could be?’
For possible help he came to a halt.
Walking towards the flickering lamp
he saw an old lady in a small poor hut!
The kind old lady getting up from her prayer
offered the unexpected guest
a glass of water, a cup of hot tea, a loaf of bread
and went back again to her prayer.
Curious the guest asked the cause of her sorrow,
and why is she immersed in continuous prayer.
‘Dear son’, the old lady unburdened her heart,
‘My little grandson is sick; an accident has orphaned him.
There is one doctor far from here who can cure the kid.
But where does he live I do not know,
nor have I any means to move the child to him.’
Dumbfounded the guest silently pondered,
‘True, you do not know the whereabouts of the doctor,
nor have you any means to take the kid to get cured.
But, your sincere prayers have the power
to bring to your doorstep the doctor you have heard of.
The unseen guide has saved me from the air crash,
safely driven me in rain and thunder
to receive from the kid’s divine hand
the true award, the light of wisdom!’
(Based on a story forwarded by Mr. D. Om Prakash, Chennai.)
