Day #35: Car Pooling (100 days of gratitude)

Day #35:    Car Pooling
(100 days of gratitude)

I live in the suburbs a good 18 kms from TIDEL park. We are 3 kms from the OMR the main highway that reaches the city and there is no public transport to my place. Over 1200 families live in my township with more than 1000 cars plying to work daily. We have an active carpool group of around 250 people with an equal mix of givers and takers. Some are regulars and some are occasional. I’m using the carpool group as a taker for the last two months and I realise how useful it is for so many people.

There is a regular giver who I travel with sometimes in the mornings. He is Ashok a good friend of mine. He is such a happy and giving person who literally gets upset if his car goes empty at any time. He actively seeks people who need a ride and helps them out. He regales us with meaningful conversations and sees to it that in the evenings there is some snack available for those travelling with him.

Today I was riding with him after many weeks and he gives me a box of premium fry fruits and raisins and wishes me a Happy Deepavali. I felt sheepish that I had not thought of that and he was remembering and saving a box for me so long. He is a true giver who wants to make the world a better place with not just random acts of kindness but with some regular and serious giving of kindness to people around him. He is the kind of guy who would regularly give a pack of biscuits or snacks to the toll-keeper so he can get some relief from his monotonous duties.

A carpool is a place where you find such gems. The people who formed and managed this group has put together a great system where we can discover such people. Some givers are full-hearted altruists. Some are reluctant converts to the art of giving. Some are novices in this game and learning the art of being altruistic. Some drop out after giving it a try. Different shades of people. One common goal. Make the world a little easier for those around us.

The takers again are also made of different shades of grey. Some are truly grateful and treat the host with courtesy and kindness and want to do something in return like offer to pay the toll or pick up the gas bill occasionally. Some are indifferent and take it in their stride. Some are downright boorish and talk on the phone or fiddle with it without giving the courtesy of a conversation with the host. Some think it’s part of the rent or maintenance they pay to the society.

But all said and done it is a great social experiment where different people are brought together by the necessity caused by a remote location and forced to travel with each other and start conversations or relationships that go beyond the travel together.

I’m grateful for the carpooling that we have in DLF Garden City and the people behind it such as (Col) Ajit and Pravin Singh. I’m grateful to the giants like Ashok who is a role model for all givers. And I’m grateful for all the strong and silent types like Dalton, Sachin, Karthik and others who silently walk the talk as givers.

May their tribe prosper and increase.