The week started with the worst kind of nightmares you expect at work. Big release around the corner, projects running in red, the usual chaos on the floor and yeah, yearly appraisal looming around the corner. Work can get really crazy at times. But you already know that! But in the midst of all this madness, something beautiful happened the other day. Something which gave me a lot to cheer about.
I drive down to work daily. The 40 minute ride gives me enough time to plan my day. Sometimes I sing and that somehow makes me forget about the traffic I have to battle everyday. It puts me in a zone where all I am really bothered is the next note and how to zoom around and be right in front of the red signal. I think it is the monotony of the routine which makes you want to block your immediate reality out of the mind. I suspect everyone who drives in Bangalore have their own way of coping with traffic and stress like that.
However, sometimes, something happens which snaps you out of that reverie. I was at the signal near St. John’s Hospital on the Hosur Road. (I work at EGL, Bangalore). This is a really long signal which can make you wait for 3 minutes if you are lucky to cross the signal in one go. During peak traffic hours, you may have to wait for almost 5-6 min before you can move on. It was such a morning. Somewhere at the end of that sea of vehicles stood an ambulance with its siren on. The really loud siren made people turn around. It sounded a desperate plea more than a warning signal. For a split second no one moved. And then all of a sudden, as if there was one collective consciousness and not our individual selves, began the honking from everyone waiting there. Everyone wanted to make way for the ambulance. Some moved left, some right a bit to make space. And soon the ambulance was moving amidst incessant honking. People actually peeped out of the windows and called aloud to make the person ahead of them move. People out of the way of the ambulance did not just wait. They all honked.
It worked. The ambulance could move ahead of all that traffic and was right at the front before the signal turned green. It gave me goose bumps. I did wonder about our emergency management systems and how badly we are equipped to handle something as basic as this. But more than that, this small incident gave me hope. It made me believe in the human spirit that means only good. It also made me believe that we all can make a difference if we uphold the spirit of contribution.
It was wonderful and it had made my day!
4 comments:
such incidents can truly make anybodys's day.....keep posting such incidence.....they boost your morale....
Read it and loved it.
The new template is rocking.
Yes, It works, although sometimes.... even I am hopeful...that We, Indians, will learn our responsibilities towards society....I think...Emergency management can only provoke awareness... but thats We, who are on field, have to act sensibly towards this....
Gud 1..& yes template too :)
The driver of my office's cab is one of the most selfish/reckless drivers I have ever known. The type who will cut from corners, not worry about grinding all traffic to a halt when he takes the car on the wrong side, generally no respect for any rules (you know the type). And yet, I had an experience similar to yours. One fine day, I heard a siren coming from somewhere not to far away, and knew that it was an ambulance headed in our direction. In my mind I was already shaking my head thinking "Ye driver to jagah nahi dega..he'll continue driving as usual" only to suddenly realise that the driver was trying his best to make way for the ambulance. As were the others. And the mental headhshake and frown turned into an actual shake of the head with a smile :-). I so understand the feeling of hope you got.
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