FROM THE time we scan morning papers to the time we hit the bed with late night news bulletins and talk-shows, we are inundated by stories which either do not touch us, being of general interest, or relate to us at a personal level, mostly in terms of tragedies or sheer brutality. Rarely do we come across stories which make us feel proud of our fellow human beings. This would not matter though, if we were immune to what is going around us. The repeated assault on our sensitivity brings out in us, at least in most of us, a high degree of cynicism.

As stories of distasteful events pile after one another cynicism and apathy tend to become our cults. Sub-consciously, we begin to build a wall of protective imperviousness to tragedies around us. Only the very brave get past this reaction. With determination and dedicated effort they are able to rise beyond the edge of despair to do something positive and rally others round by their example.

Might it not, therefore, be better if our news was more about people and events that make a difference to other people’s lives? It might enhance the quotient of feel good fact in our existence. It might even encourage us to think and act in a more positive way; making this world a better, certainly more cheerful, place to live in. Moving towards this goal, we could perhaps all begin by recalling people who at one time or another gave us a glimpse of the divine.

In this context, I recall two unrelated events –separated by time, place and nationality. First one occurred some years ago in Switzerland. The other, equally a reminder of the noble spirit of man, occurred recently in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Some years ago we, a family of four, were going to a holiday destination in Switzerland. We got down from the bus to go inside our hotel. But as soon as the bus left, we realised that we had left a part of our luggage, including all valuables, inside the departing bus. We learnt that the bus had a long circuit to complete and could not be contacted as it was a Sunday. No taxis were available and we just stood transfixed in utter despair not knowing what to do. Just then we saw a person coming on a motor bike, going in the opposite direction to the bus. In sheer desperation my wife stopped him and asked him whether he could give her a lift to try and stop the bus. The gentleman refused giving a lift as she did not have the protective head gear but volunteered to turn around and gave a chase. We did not know whether he would return and if so, whether we would get any of our stuff back. We waited anxiously nearly for an hour and then he turned up, with all our valuables intact! And much as we wanted to thank him, he would not let us but said simply “remember me sometimes in your prayers”. It was the spark of divinity in the man that we witnessed that day and it cheers me up every time I think of him.

Not so dramatic but perhaps equally moving was a recent experience in Ahmedabad. I was there for some health check up. My wife and I had just hired a scooter rickshaw to commute between two wings of the Civil Hospital. When I alighted, and offered him his fare, he refused point blank saying, “I don’t take fare from the patients”! I tried to argue him out saying that since plying scooter rickshaw was his livelihood, he should not refuse what was rightly his due. But he did not budge. Though ultimately we gave his fare equivalent and ten times more to the charity box, it was the generosity of the man, his ideals that we shall always cherish. It really made us feel proud of the human race.

I am sure each one of us has had such experiences and surely they spread warmth and a positive aura of hope.