A Unique Person

Most of us seek greatness with the society around us to acknowledge

Our presence through recognition by words, wealth and welfare.
We want words of praise to make our spirits high to feel elated,
We strive for wealth not knowing our real worth guided and misguided
By forces seen and unseen as we think all along are the real sources.
Miserliness clings as wealth accumulates making it hard to share.
We want our children to be greater possessing them life long.
We work selfishly unmindful of others thinking of our own survival
We fail to acknowledge others work and talent fearing humiliation,
Unable to accept our own limitations and wishes unfulfilled.
Everywhere we look we see wonders and beautiful people each performing
Greater acts calling for human endurance and skill.
Exhibiting their talents both of the body and mind making the distance
wide for one to emulate and the wishes to seek and become great.
An emptiness then comes which makes one inwardly
feel inferior and weak Only to be protected by a shield
A barrier like not to acknowledge others wholeheartedly.
But then I saw one and the only person
My uncle who was devoid of all these,
Years and years had rolled by but still remained the same,
Always admired people greatness and spoke about them freely,
Never had the word I been explicitly uttered with authority and audacity,
Never said I am discontented nor disheartened in dismay,
No money in sight, left forlorn in all the desires we normally seek,
Still with a calmness, an enviable order in whatever he does.
Nearly ninety years had rolled by and with the same consistency,
Neatness and nimbleness got from nowhere seemed to be his trait.
Born of a noble background and lived in it during the younger years,
His marriage took place in Chidambaram with pomp and splendour,
With firecrackers, bridegroom riding in a car , along the temple streets.
Married to a woman who gave great support though with no offsprings.,
Both Left alone as destiny would have ordained to be humiliated,
Humiliation being a part of life was silently borne with the worst to come,
On character articulated by one dear and near, the worst one can bear,
Still both bore the brunt with poise and dignity silently not to be forgotten.
There was grace and beauty and careful order his wife had shared all along,
Managing with scanty resources nicely monitored and administered.

The long relationship suddenly came to an end as no one is immortal,

His wife leaving after a brief illness taken care by her husband alone,
Not seeking external help with dignity which many would not do.
His wifes body was left all alone practically unattended,
a sorrow he could hardly bear though leading a full life time wise.
Still I remember that only a handful of relatives from far had attended,
The timely thought of my wife to buy a rose garland befitting a great lady
Was the only thing that gave a symbol of offering to the departed soul.
The whole event further is left untold for one to imagine but remembered
By those who witnessed a scene as to what the less wealthy experience.
A year passed to perform the annual death ceremony of his wife,
Then all of a sudden my uncle falls second time with a major fracture,
To the hip socket bone which all would dread and lay in the hospital.
Fortunate for a good soul a good person and friend who was a teacher
Came to his rescue where no relations close to him could attend.
Gratitude to the person who came to his rescue is a small word,
In times of distress, through some money from his well wishers,
Same time his most beloved and adored sister and loved by everyone,
Passed away in a distant place unaware making the few close ones distressed.
Now slowly few years had passed, my uncle recovered and at ninety ,
Still managing his daily chores as elegantly and meticulously,
to make most feel ashamed of themselves shuddering all the while.
Still he continues to talk the same way he had done with love,
Making me dumbstruck with words hardly to utter,
All my knowledge had seemed to be meaningless as I couldnt speak.
I just tapped his body just close to the heart and shook my hand
in the air perhaps with immense helplessness as I could not reach him
either to his body nor his mind a distance that never will be closed.
Strange are the ways of Almighty to teach lessons to his living creation.
Perhaps descending Himself on to a person my uncle to bear
All that which one will not dare to desire and seek.
I learnt that how strong our spirit can be close to the guiding Spirit
Which we worship and to wake up from the deep slumber of seeking
To be known wealth and fame wise unmindful of our dear fellowmen.