A special afternoon

My son turned one a few days ago. And we were thinking of how best to celebrate his first birthday. Through some coincidence, my mom got a contact of a nearby Home for special children who cannot be taken care of by their families (“Chembur Children’s Home, Mumbai”. Inspite of staying close to the Home, we never knew about it all these years. We instinctively decided to celebrate by going there and offering them some snacks and ice cream. When we went there one Saturday afternoon to distribute the food stuff, it turned out to be a moving experience. The first response was a something like a shock to our systems – we felt so lucky and privileged looking at them that a feeling of gratitude overwhelmed us. Gradually, we overcame the superlative flow of emotions and saw how happy they were to eat stuff they loved (who would not like an unexpected icecream on a humid Mumbai afternoon?). In the end, we felt lighter, more grateful and inspired enough to go there again (maybe each birthday of my son?). It was a moment of grace.