Sharing a beautiful story that I came across. ❤️

There is a Cobbler who sits across the street in front of my Office Building.

Every day, I see that there is a stray dog who comes and sits with him as soon as he arrives at the place, and he feeds him biscuits and some times milk.

The man gets busy in his work, while the dog sits there and gives him company.

One can feel that there is a unknown connection between them, they have conversation without a word being spoken.

He also brings food for birds, which he keeps at different places on the street pavement where he sits for his work.

Many people stop by and ask him for directions, he always guides them with a smile. Even if he doesn’t get any business from them.

If he sees a homeless person going by, he offers them water and food that he has brought for himself and engages in conversations with them.

One can see and feel the peace, the conversations bring to them.

I felt to go and meet him today.

He smiled at me and said his name is Dayaram, and asked me if I would like to have tea?

Pleasantly surprised, I said, “Sure, let’s have some tea.”

Here is a man who would be struggling to make ₹ 200-300 a day, out of which he would be spending around ₹ 12 – Rs.15 on the food that he brings for the dog and the birds, and the two cups of tea would cost him another ₹ 20.

He being rich in his own way, smiles radiantly, and his calm, effortless, abundant state of being is infectious.

I told him that I have been observing him, what he does, and that I am humbled and fascinated by it.

We continue talking, and I refer to the dog, and he says “Oh! he’s just one of us – God’s Own Creation”.

Talk about non-duality!

He goes on to say that “I am not serving… it is He who is making it happen via this person. It would be egoistic to say that ‘I’ am doing it!”

I fold my hands and bow to him, and request him to accept some money, saying, “It is not I, who is giving you this money, it is He who is sending it to you via myself.”

We laugh and he obliges me by accepting it.

As I am about to leave, he says:

“Maango Ussi se, Baanto khushi se, Kaho na kissi se”

माँगो उसी से, बाँटो ख़ुशी से, कहो ना किसी से

(Ask from Him, but then don’t just accumulate it – give it away to others with happiness and gratitude, and do it silently!)

The cobbler who mends shoes, mended my soul today