God, the power of a small prayer and the true value of money

Long ago I read in the Upanishads about God being everywhere; only we have to feel HIS presence around us. Day before I realized how true this was.


In India now. City of Bhopal to be precise. In laws place. Just a week off before the work madness starts. So here I was out to the market with my father in law and my two boys – me at the rear seat with my younger one trying my best to stop him from putting his precious hand out of the window. This is called progress by the way. I remember those train journeys of my childhood and how I was scared to put my hand outside least I hit a pole or something and here was my naughty 2 yr old who I knew would jump out of the window if given half a chance.


Back to the subject. So FIL had to pick up some stuff from a shop and left us in the car because there was no parking available. There were cars, bikes, scooters and people in the busy market place.


And then I saw her. A woman. Not so well dressed and in dirty clothes. With a kid in her arms and another by her side. I smiled. The kids were of same age as the ones I have. The smile was replaced by sadness when I realized she was begging in that busy market. She was close to my car. I must give her some money. In the time I struggled and managed to pull out my wallet from my tight jeans (no thief can pickpocket me I am assured now) the woman was nowhere to be seen. But she was just here. I looked around searching for her in that crowded place. And then I saw her again. She had taken a right turn from my car and had walked away.


“Come back” I said like Kate Winslet in the Titanic movie but to myself. She kept walking away asking for money but with no success. I couldn’t get out of the car and go after her because of the little one. And then I made a little prayer. To God. Please make her about turn and allow me to help her. I kept looking at her as if I didn’t want to lose her in the crowd again. Barely 10 seconds later she turned. And looked straight at me. And walked. Straight towards me. She hadn’t just picked up my car in that crowd of cars and people and bikes and stray dogs as well. She had picked up the rear window and was looking at me while she walked. I was dumb struck Almost as if someone had told her to come to me. I made no signal to her but she stopped by my window. I smiled and handed the money through the half opened window. I did not get a smile back. She walked away. Leaving me with what I think was a minor miracle. I had just seen the power of a small prayer. Oh by the way, my little one must have loved me putting my hand outside the window and was inspired by it because he kept trying to do that on way back. What a struggle I had with him !!


Later that night as I waited with my wife and cousin to be picked up and had “coffee while waiting” at a good coffee chain I noticed that the price of the coffee was almost 5 times of what I gave that woman. But the money spent on that coffee and the coffee itself had little value as compared to the value of the money that I gave was to her. The true value of money is not in what it can do for you but what you can use it to make a difference in the lives of others. Even if it’s a little bit (after all we earn for ourselves and our needs), that little bit can give you (and someone else) more satisfaction than the rest can.