Last Friday, whilst in the MTA station to replace my lost metro card, I noticed a woman with a cane. Walking into the station, she came dangerously close to knocking her head on a post. So I gently reached out to guide her from the obstacle. She was totally blind. Upon my touch, she asked for the location of the MTA office. I helped her correct her journey and guided her to stand in front of me in line.
When it was her turn, the MTA officer answered her query and unknowing of her blindness pointed her in a direction of the door. Of course, she was unable to see. So again I provide a gentle support and then went to be served by the MTA officer. Suddenly, the MTA officer jumped from his protective booth as he noticed her blindness and saw that she was vierring in the direction of the subway tracks. Again she was back on course.
Over the next few minutes, I couldn’t help but notice about 10 other customers helping her to successfully find the correct door. And I smiled about the kindness of humanity – the sukha.
This happened on the afternoon of December 14 – the same day at the atrocities of the Newtown, Conn.
In times like this, it’s hard to understand humanity when such misplaced anger or duka can live alongside the abundance of sukha – love, kindness and giving. And I am reminded yogic principle that life is about balancing the *sukha and the *duhkha.
It will take time to heal the wounds of Newtown but I plan on providing more sukha to balance. To guide more people. To smile at those moments.
*Sukha- Happiness, delight, joy, pleasure, comfort
*Duhkha- Pain, sorrow, grief