It was one of those beautiful mornings, when my mother called me and I was joyfully lazing my time, watering the garden. I had just turned nine and my mother had promised to take me to a beautiful place that day.
“We are going to the most beautiful place today.” she said, “As I told you, it’s the most delightful place you ever dreamed of ”. Instantly, thoughts flooded my mind. What might be this beautiful place? I thought. Beautiful places are the places, I have read in books. The trees may be sculpted in gold and covered with snow. It may be a place where there are waterfalls and fireflies. It may be a place filled with spectacular scenery where different kinds of flowers blossom. It may be a place with magical and spectacular gardens with trees, where various kinds of birds, build nests.
With high expectations I started on the journey with my mother. I kept on asking her how long would it take us to get to the beautiful place. My mother replied “Very soon”. After walking for some time, my mother stopped and I could well read the board, which said “Ananda Nilaya-Home to Blind Children!” I was suddenly disappointed and I wondered why my mother was taking me here. Then I came in and looked at the blind children. Everything suddenly changed. I became speechless. I observed the children slowly and tears streamed my eyes. Then, food arrived in large barrels. My mother started distributing food to the children. I now began to feel that she was doing something wonderful and kind. I then myself then distributed food to all the children. I could sense the pleasure in charity at that time. I felt at the top of the universe at that time. This may not be a beautiful natural landscape, it may not be the place where trees are sculpted in good or where there is a spectacular waterfall or garden with birds, flowers fireflies and trees, but it is certainly a landscape built of love and affection.
After the children had finished the meal, we thanked everyone and started our way home. I rejoiced, as I know that it was the best moment of my life. Then my mother asked me as to what I thought of that delightful place. I replied. “It’s the most delightful place, that I visited now. God may not have given the blind children eyes to see, like he gave me, mom. But he has certainly given them a lovely home, a beautiful mother like you and a place to love and a place to prosper!”
