Hostel Mess

                                                  

HOSTEL MESS

The temperature was beginning to drop as winter set in. Darkness enveloped the surroundings by approximately 6:30 PM. I was enjoying a cup of tea on the balcony of my campus room. I secured this flat on the college campus due to my job in the city. Initially, I was reluctant to move to another city, as I wished to remain close to my family in the village.

My wife graduated and began providing tutoring to children in our village. I had also been working in the village for 7 to 8 years, but I was not finding satisfactory salary options. The moment our child was born, concerns about his future began to weigh heavily on us. We have spent our lives in the village with limited opportunities, as my parents preferred that the family remain close together.

My parents have a strong attachment to their village, where they were born and raised, and they have not allowed me to pursue my education outside of it. Despite my academic success, I completed my higher education through daily commutes to a nearby city. My wife, Sneha, had grand aspirations for her career, but she too was unable to leave the village for further educational opportunities.

With her ambitious nature, Sneha was committed to ensuring that our child would not face the same obstacles we encountered. She firmly believed that he should pursue his studies in the city. From the very beginning of our marriage, she actively sought to convince both me and my parents of the necessity for me to find a job in the city. Her efforts culminated in success two years later, following the arrival of our son.

Although Sneha did not want to be apart from me, but her dedication to ensuring a better future for our child was her top priority. It was her efforts that enabled me to gain my parents' permission to work in the city, leading to my appointment as a professor of Hindi Honors at the college.

I received a two-bedroom flat within the campus. However, the salary I was earning was not enough to sustain my family both here and in the village. A significant portion of my income was spent on my parents' medical needs, as well as on household and childcare responsibilities. Sneha was urging me to relocate the rest of the family to the city, but our financial situation was not feasible. Additionally, my parents agreed to my move at Sneha's insistence, although they were hesitant to leave their home behind.

I was committed to finding part-time work on Saturdays and Sundays, yet the total earnings were always minimal. The stress from college responsibilities, part-time work, and family commitments started to become quite overwhelming.

I was pulled from my reverie when the dinner bell rang. In college, everything adhered to a strict schedule. After dinner, I found myself unable to sleep, so I decided to take a walk around the campus. As I strolled, I noticed Radhe Shyam, a grade 4 utensil cleaner in the hostel, making his way to his flat after finishing his shift. He was always in a cheerful mood, enjoying music through his earphones. 

He was a remarkably joyful person, always finding ways to enjoy life. Most of the time, he was seen with his earphones on, lost in his own happiness. I often considered how fortunate he was to maintain such a delightful and relaxed approach to life.

The following day, while I was in the staff room awaiting my next class, I noticed Radhe Shyam serving tea. A professor said, “Radhe Shyam, how is your health now? Are you able to negotiate few more days from God?” This statement shocked me, and once Radhe Shyam left, I approached the professor to inquire, “Why did you speak to him in that manner?”

The professor commented, "Are you not informed that both of his kidneys are not working, and he attends dialysis sessions every week? Still, I have never met anyone as strong as he is."

Once again, I encountered him at night as he was heading home from work. I called out to him and inquired, “Are you genuinely struggling with that medical condition? I had assumed you were free of responsibilities and stress, which is why you always seem so relaxed.”

He stated, "Sir, I too have a family, and I do not want to burden them with my worries. Life is a journey that demands our efforts, and it is our choice to experience it with either joy or stress." 

I had been unable to sleep for many nights because of my frustration, but on that day, I discovered a new perspective on living.

Thanks for reading…