Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile
……..Albert Einstein
Do I think of
the things which are beyond my life? Do I really care about my surrounding? Do
I really care about people and believe in serving people without any return?
These questions
I asked to myself after spending 2 full days in an awareness program with my
Doctor Ms. Archana.
Few years back,
I struck with an accident and my left hand wrist got twisted. In order to make
my wrist movement proper, I was needed to do physiotherapy for some days. Dr.
Archana is a well known physiotherapist. I visited her for my treatment.
She has her
clinic in the premise of an old aged home. This old age home has capacity to
take care of 50 people. It has a clinic, multipurpose hall, gym, library, big dining
hall, kitchen, store room and 25 rooms. The area is very peaceful and quiet. Tall
trees can be seen from the entrance. These trees are planted in one row and
tree trunk is painted with white & brick red color lines. On the either side of main entry road, there
are gardens with plenty of plants. There are variety of plants including fruits,
vegetables and flowers. For a while I forgot my pain and lost myself in such a
peaceful and tranquilize surroundings. Colorful flowers were dancing, birds were
singing and fresh air was blowing. Wow………..I was not aware of such beautiful
place in the middle of city. It was amazing.
It was around 10’ o clock in the morning, I
reached to her clinic and was waiting for my turn in the front yard. It was not
like any sophisticated clinic but a simple and peaceful area.
I was observing
the surroundings and that simple look was soothing my eyes. Then after around
15 min. my turn came. Doctor was very simply dressed and had nicely plated her
hair. Her voice was very calm and composed. Her actions were controlled and her
gesture was steady and confident. I was very much impressed by her appearance
as it was giving me the confidence that I was in the right place.
Then she
examined my wrist and suggested me to visit her for the next full week for exercise
and treatment. Then from next day onwards, I visited her daily and in every
visit along with the treatment I experienced different world altogether. I used
to spend 2 hr daily over there doing some exercise to release my pain and that
2 hrs of those 7 days were my best time spent. I saw the nurses caring the patients, I witnessed
the Doctor working hard to cure the people, I felt the thankfulness of the
patient for the doctor, and I saw the satisfaction on the face of doctor. Believe me this emotion of satisfaction has
made Dr. Archana’s face to glow and
amazingly beautiful.
Doctor is expert
in her field and patients are visiting long way to get treated from her. I
could see that satisfaction on her face when a patient gets well. Then slowly,
I came to know that she does the treatment to patient free of cost that cannot
afford the price. She is being associated with many groups who take care of needy
& orphans and educates them on health and sanitation. She also nurses the
people who reside in old age home without any charges. I was very much impressed by her work and
then slowly within a week we become good friends. Then after a week and half, I
was fine & stopped seeing the clinic but we are in touch over phones and
mails. I like to hear very much about her social activities, her experiences
about people and about her camps and all.
On one such
occasion, there was a camp in one of the backward village and she was thinking
to go there for 2 days. She just told me about that and I ask her whether I can
join her. She was very much happy and agreed to it without delay.
So on the
following weekend, we both were on our ways to go to destination. We were not
travelling by any car or some luxury bus; instead we had taken a normal bus.
She told me that this bus takes the route of village and so we can enjoy the
beauty of nature and the simplicity of village. It was very pleasant outside
and yes, we really enjoyed the outside greenery. Bus stopped after 3 hours for
tea / coffee in some village. We got down and went to a tea stall. She had some
chat over there with local people and tried to analyze the kind of medical
facilities available over there. She enquired about girls education, about the
schools, hospitals & health , hygiene and all. She was carefully noting
down all these information. She said that she will prepare a report of it and
then determine the exact requirement for development of villagers. Such reports
help those people to schedule or suggest the next health aware camp in that
place too, if required. I was impressed and though that I had never ever
thought of doing such kind of work. Then she told me that every weekend she
devotes her services in such camp or in such kind of organization. She told me
that by doing so she feels good about herself. She gets satisfaction and
happiness which she doesn’t get from anything else. We again boarded the bus
and she shared her various experiences of such works. I was really impressed
and enlighten.
Then after 2
hours, we reach at the place. Few other people were also there, amongst them three
were doctors, two were journalists, other two were social workers and rests of
them were students. I was very much amazed to see their enthusiasm and commitment.
I must tell that their work was very much planned and articulated. In the next two hours, Dr. Archana had explained
their motives and about the programs to be conducted over there and their line
of action.
We were divided
into three teams: team-1 was responsible for cleaning the village with the help
of local people. Teaching & training to the villager about health, hygiene, sanitation, nutrition diet, cleanliness
and make them aware for education requirement, facilities provided by the
government etc. was the responsibility of team:2. Team-3 was planned to do free
health checkups for all the people and educate them about the household’s
medicine for headache, body pain, cough & cold etc. Everybody has done
their part of work with full devotion and really we could see the some change
in the behavior of the village people about their own health & hygiene.
I was amazed to
see the disciple of each team members and also of the villager. Two days had
passed very quickly and we were really not feeling tired instead everyone was
feeling more enthusictic for the next campaign. Village people were also very
happy and they greeted each of us and I could see the happiness on their face
as well.
I was the part
of such kind of work for the first time. I could not tell in the words the kind
of satisfaction and a sense of completeness filled within my heart at that
moment.
This event has
completely transformed me, my thinking and my lifestyle. Since then I always
try to join Dr. Archana for such campaign. Doing work for others expecting
nothing is altogether a different feeling. I am fortunate to get the company of
such people. These people are really made of great. These people work for
others happiness, others health and for others well being.
My salute to all
those who help the society and to their pure motive and great services.
