I met T in the summer of 2019. I had decided to enroll for an additional course in an institute which was far far away from my place. Everyone who had enrolled for that course were staying in the same accommodation provided by the institute and hence many members would meet for meals together, by default. Because I had a different schedule and arrangement of my own, I wasn't able to meet the members as many times during the meals as I would have liked. However, on the first day of the session, when I did have breakfast with few of the members, I met T. I remember walking with T for some distance towards the classes and exchanging pleasantries.
But the few discussions that I had with T were memorable, interesting, and felt worthwhile.
From the very first interaction, I found T to be a very sincere and generous person... someone you could rely on. I remember T's gentle and sweet smile everytime we had a conversation. T, too, was a person of few words and thus we didn't have very elaborate or many conversations. But the few discussions that I had with T were memorable, interesting, and felt worthwhile.
Though I would like to refuse, my personality may seem a bit aloof sometimes to other people. And rarely anybody has that much time and patience to understand others these days. But T... T spoke with me. T's questions and interest about someone were marked with genuineness and it felt that T did care. And whatever little I got to know during my time in the institute, I knew how gentle and gracious T is.
T's questions and interest about someone were marked with genuineness and it felt that T did care.
After the sessions ended, we have stayed in touch. But the entire credit goes to T for this. T has always responded first. T would send me appreciation and feedback for my posts and poems. Though it might sound trivial, each feedback means a lot. Simple things like "I read your poems" matter and really do mean the world. It tells you that someone is listening to the words you have voiced through your writings.
T went to one of the book exhibitions.... and my book was there too. T not only searched for the stall where it was displayed, but also sent me photographs from the exhibition. It must have been difficult to find the stall because it was a big exhibition with hundreds of stalls... plus getting photos for me because I couldn't be there... I could not be more grateful. You could actually sense that sweetness in T's voice as T told me about the experience there. I couldn't believe how caring a person can be. And then today...
Though to others it may seem just sharing a photograph, but it is more than that.
Today, T sent me a photograph of a moon. That photograph had a note on it about the spots on the moon which were related to a poem I wrote months back. Someone had shared that photograph and T still remembered the discussion we had about the moon and fables related to it. Though to others it may seem just sharing a photograph, but it is more than that. That little note says a lot.. about the nice and considerate person T is... about the vastness of T's heart and greatness of T's character. It is not easy to be so mindful about others these days and we need to certainly celebrate moments and people like T. Though we do not talk too often, I always feel very inspired and positive whenever I talk with T... even if it's just a couple of words.
The number of words you speak do not matter.... as long as your thoughts are aligned the right way. I was deeply moved by T's gesture because of the thoughts that were put into it. I could not find the proper words that could convey my gratitude... but it surely did make that moment for me and I hope the thoughts were convened back to T. T, if you are reading this, please know that I am moved beyond words and I have always appreciated your gestures and generosity. Thank you for being a great friend
You too might have someone like that in your life. Someone who always cheers you up, even if you do not communicate too often. Appreciate these small gestures in friendship. If you too have a friend like T, value them. Keep them in your thoughts always. And if you do not have someone like that, be a T to the people around you.
