Now That's a Happy Diwali!

I posted this only about 2 weeks ago.  But here I am repeating this story. I have interacted with F twice since this incident.  Today I told him I wrote about him.  I wanted to take his picture, since he was wearing a cute Santa band on his head. He wrinkled his nose that he did not mind me using his name or the story, but did not like his pictures taken. That's quite ok.  

It still made my day.  I wanted him to know how much his kindness had helped me.

So, here is the story again....about How Good the People Can be!

I have been meaning to write that story, that I promised you all.  So here comes.

It was Diwali.  Must have been 4th of November.   I had been busy all week and had no time to plan.  For all those who do not know Diwali is the biggest Hindu festival, comes on the darkest night of the year.  Its a new moon, so the skies are dark.  But according to the legend, both our dear Lord Ramachandra along with his wife and younger brother are returning home after an exile of 14 years.   They return on pushpak vimaan (look it up).  Pushpak Vimaan, is a flying object, open from all sides and works on 'will of the captain'.  You know, like thousands of years later, Obi Wan Kanobi tells Luke, 'let go Luke' and runs the flying vehicle on instinct?

Coming back to Diwali at my end....it was slightly sad for I had no time to cook  or clean, which is important for this occasion. I did boil some rice, hoping turn it into rice pudding, with raisins and cardamom and cashews and saffron....

Other than Prabhu Ram, we also get a visit by Goddess Lakshmi.  She visits only the houses that have been cleaned and decorated.  Goddess Lakshmi is the goddess of fortune.  We keep the house lit the entire night.  A small oil lamp is kept in every room.  One big lamp with ghee as  the fuel is kept in the kitchen and one another one with ghee is used to make Kajal/Kohl for our eyes.  More on that later.

The flowers must have been given with such goodwill that they lasted 2 weeks. A very long time, considering dryness of Karlstad and coldness of Swedish winters. 

At the end of the day, after grading/marking and some other work, I was exhausted and feeling sad for all the Diwalis I have spent away from home. What a strange life this is :( 

I knew I needed flowers. I have not bought flowers in months. Since September winter started to show its claws pretty fast.  There has hardly been any Sun and everything is going to sleep.  So I went to COOP, the closest grocery store where I have been shopping since I came.  It took me some time to start going to ICA--which is about 15 minutes walk away. 

I got the candles, and went about the store looking for flowers.  But there were none.  Not even the wilted ones. Only flower pots and some potted plants. 

Disappointed I decided to pay for the candles and leave.  At the checkout counter was F.  I have known him almost as long as I have been in Sweden.  His parents came from Hungary.  At one point, may be years and years ago, he told me that his sister was my first student.  She was in the first undergraduate class I ever taught. Which means it was the second semester of my first year of teaching. I taught only MA students in the first year.

Her name is V, and she is now married with a child.  All this time, I keep getting her updates from him, as shared where she works, when she was pregnant, and how old the child is.  Like any proud uncle he shares his nephews pictures and videos with me, as I am paying for the groceries I have bought. We discuss life at the counter, sometimes he helps me find things in the store.  So, nearly a decade of interaction.  I know his name and he always smiles when we see each other.  When you live in a place, a familiarity sets in, like a warm blanket.  He is one such face, who I mostly meet at the grocery store, because he works there and I shop there. 

So, this evening, when he was at the counter again as I was ready to pay I asked him, (btw, we mostly talk in english, not sure why.  I speak to others in Swedish).

'F, do you have flowers?"

"We should."

"I looked, but there are none."

"In the corner?" He asked pointing towards the potted plants. 

"None"

He looked confused and said, we just did.  They were wilting. Maybe we put them away to throw them out. 

"Well, I could use even the wilted ones.  I need them. Its a festival today, and I want to offer a few flowers. I can pay half or a certain amount of the original price. Or even full. I don't care. I just need some flowers.  It's too late and too dark to walk to ICA."

"Wait let me see"

He ran in quickly and came out with not-so-bad red roses.  

"Here" he handed those to me.  I had already paid, so I started to return to the other side of the cash register.

"No,  you don't need to pay".

I was surprised and insisted that I must. 

"No,  no need."

"Its two bouquets'

For the readers, flowers in Sweden are very expensive.  Especially in autumn and winter.  So, a bouquet that size could be 6-10 dollars.  He was giving me two.

"No, enjoy your festival."

"Then I must buy something else from the store, to contribute"

"No", he insisted waved his hand and said, again, 'have a nice festival".

I sighed and smiled.  The goodness of people of this world is everywhere. In these simplicities.  That exchange was based on having known each other for a while, a care, a concern a trust.

I walked home thinking, "Now that is a Happy Diwali"

I came home and despite my tiredness cooked kheer (rice pudding)--and made sure to save some for F.

The day after I walked to the store, with a bowl of Kheer, a packet of sparklers, and a thankyou note.  He was not there that day. I asked another woman working there to save it for him in the refrigerator. 

I wanted to make sure, he had a happy diwali too.  Possibly his first one!!

Thanks Universe for bring these 'simply beautiful' incidents my way. 

Happy Diwali!

And here is what I wrote for him in the thankyou note!

Thanks Fln,

 

You did not have to.  But you did, out of kindness. And guess what, the flowers have lasted longer than all the fresh flowers I have bought.  Maybe because they came with good wishes. Thanks for making my festival bright, not just with the flowers but also with your kindness.  

 

The longer living flowers—even though they were ready to be rejected –show how kindness can infuse ‘life’!  even when there is no hope. 

 

This is some rice pudding. Hope you will like it.  Ingredients.  Rice, milk, cardamom, sugar, raisins and nuts.  Hope you like it.

Glad Diwali (festival of lights). 

Tusen tack,

Ch

 

We also enjoy fireworks that day so enjoy