“Life is the best teacher!”
Absolutely!
And nowhere does this feel truer than in India — a country where every corner awaits to be uncovered , a country where every street hums with resilience. The soil here seems to have been mulched with culture, diversity but most importantly, a willingness to love and give. Life can get tumultuous, but it also brims with moments that challenge your perspective and deepen your understanding of humanity.
I consider myself fortunate to have been exposed an environment where joy and struggle are symbiotic. And every time I have stopped at a traffic light, life seems to offer me a glimpse of its raw, unfiltered truths — truths that are easy to overlook in the chaos of daily routine. Yesterday was no different. As I sat in my car, a moment unfolded before me that left me humbled.
A little man, no older than six, was eating with pure, unadulterated joy. His face bore the undeniable marks of poverty — the kind society often dismisses as “filthy” or “unworthy.” Yet, there was something radiant about him, something inexplicably beautiful in the way he savored what little he had — something that caught my eye.
This wasn’t the first time I’d witnessed this. In fact, it happens every time I’m out on the streets. But yesterday, it so happened that I had to put these episodes into words.
Coming back to our protagonist, the boy had one biscuit left, and instead of keeping it for himself, he split it with his mother. Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, he went back to performing his theatrics on the street. It was bitterly cold — barely 10 degrees — and his tattered clothes did little to shield him. All this, but with a certain smile on his face that never seemed to leave. Within, I smiled!
I couldn’t help but wonder: how does someone so young, with so little, exude such boundless joy? In fact, why does life twist itself so unfairly to such fragile hearts? Yet, despite his struggles, the boy seemed entirely present, untouched by worries of the future. Even in the worst of adversities, life seemed to titillate him.
In fact, look closely at the poorest of communities, and you’ll see it — smiles, laughter, and an incredible ability to find joy even in adversity. Somehow, they’ve mastered what so many of us have lost: the ability to live in the moment. For people like me, this idea sounds simple but feels almost impossible to achieve. We’re either fixated on our past or anxious about the future. In the process, the present? It tends to slips away unnoticed.
That boy, earning barely 100 rupees ($1.17) a day, still greets life with the same smile every morning. Meanwhile, I, with all my privilege, often find myself unsatisfied, speculating about the future rather than live in the present. It’s a stark contrast and a harsh reminder of how disconnected we are from the simple joy of living.
This contrast reminds me of something else I’ve often noticed: a strange transactional nature in charity. I’ve heard people say they give alms because they want “good karma” in return. It’s like dealing benevolence to gain cosmic rewards. And it makes me wonder: who then, is the real needy here? Is it the person asking for help, or the one giving, seeking to profit spiritually?
In the midst of all this, there are still people — like that boy — who find happiness in the smallest moments. They remind us that life’s beauty doesn’t lie in material abundance but in the ability to embrace the now. This is what the prophets have been saying for centuries. Their words are neither empty nor cryptic. It’s only that most of us have failed to internalize their meaning. Sometimes, the simplest and most concise messages are the most powerful.
If there’s one lesson we ought to learn from that child at the red light, it’s that life is fleeting. Take what comes in its course. Joy isn’t about what you have — it’s about how you choose to live, here and now. Sometimes, the most meaningful thing you can do is stop, truly look around, and let the beauty of the present remind you what it means to be alive.