Contentment is a state of the mind

I had this personal experience many years ago. It happened at Bangalore, at the Raghavendra Swami Mutt on Bull Temple Road, to be precise.

One evening I went to the Mutt and before entering left my sandals at the entrance of the Mutt with the woman guarding the footwear of the visitors. As it was drizzling, I was carrying an umbrella and it was wet. I asked the woman whether she would take care of my umbrella until I return. She said, “Yes.”

When I came back, I gave the woman the fee for guarding my sandals and umbrella, i.e. I paid twice the regular amount usually given for guarding the footwear. The woman took only the fee for guarding my sandals. She said she took care of my umbrella as a gesture of help.

I was taken aback. In this world, where we meet everyday people who want to make money by any means and by all means, I was surprised to see a poor woman with such an attitude towards life. I don’t know how much money that woman earned everyday, as I had seen most of the visitors leaving their footwear away from her, to save those few coins. Her earning may not even be sufficient to take care of a day’s meal of hers. I don’t know how many children she had to feed by her earnings. In spite of all that, she offered me help, knowing very well that her act may not bring any award or reward to her.

This act of that poor woman whose name I know not, whose face I don’t remember, but whose simplicity and love I will remember forever, made me understand that contentment is a state of the mind. It may be found even among the poorest of the poor. On the other hand, it may never be found in the well off or the richest.

R. Padma