Oh Lord, Why Me?

Sick, frail and sweat dripping from his brow, 8 year old Rajesh entered his petty mud hut which in no way could be called a home. The exhausted little child handed over his daily wages in the hands of his pale mother. He then retired on a pile of dry straw which they called a bed.

While asleep, the daily happening of the day passed through his mind. He had awakened before the sun was in the sky and had set out for 10 kilometer by foot. Due to lack of money, he could not afford conveyance charges or even the public bus.

Terror had stricken the family after his father’s death. The small farm they had was also taken away by the impious wealthy merchants. He and his family along with his two sisters were stranded on the road. At that time, Rajesh had only been 5 years old. The burden of the family now fell upon his own shoulders, thus he was compelled to earn a living.

He found a job as a waiter at a trivial tea-stall. His master was a cruel man like all others. He did not pay the daily promised money and cheated him. He made him slog from morn to dust without a moment of rest. They only had a 15min break where a plate of stale bread was thrown before them.

Today had been worse than usual. Due to the increasing amount of tourists in the city, he was made to strive harder. Then all day long, he trudged hard listening to the ill words of his master and bearing a grudge against him in his heart. Finally at dawn he was given leave and the promised amount of money.

While returning home, he passed by a school. With glistening eyes he saw young children skipping around the playground, enjoying themselves to the core of their heart. He turned his face away to hide the tears that dwelled in his eyes and envy those lucky kids. He had desired to go to a school and study but now the wish had been buried away in his heart…..his dream never to be realized!

While sleeping at home, he saw blurred visions of himself in an ironed school dress waving to his parents from the school premises. But these visions were suddenly transformed to reality…a petty boy dressed in rags with a cloth in his hand wiping at tables in a small tea shop, to support his family. All he could say with a heavy heart, with tears flowing from his eyes and a large wound embedded in his heart was, “Oh Lord, why me?”

Such voices can be heard all around you. But do you ever care to listen?

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