Guest Column: Down The Memory Lane..

Volume 5 Issue 8 August 2015

‘Experiential learning’

It was not very long after that I joined the department where I am working now. A young man who had been in my follow up for the last 3-4 months waited patiently for his turn. When I handed over the prescription he hesitantly told me that his wallet had been stolen on the way and he did not have any money. I collected some samples of prescribed medicines but he needed to buy more. As I did not have a smaller currency note so I gave him a Rs. 500 note. He assured me that he would be back soon with the change. I finished my outdoor and was ready to go. But this
man did not return. When my colleagues came to know of this, it was labeled as foolishness. Weeks passed by and this incident not only left me feeling foolish but also stopped me from helping the needy.

On a busy OPD day I was greeted by someone very cordially by an unknown lady. She pushed a 500 rupee note in my hand saying that her husband had sent her to return this money as he had a job now and could not get time off work. She told me that her husband did not return that day as after purchasing the medicines he was left with money barely enough to return home. I felt ashamed that I trusted others sentiments but not my own instincts to be kind. How many more people I would have helped? I felt so small. At last my trust in basic human nature of goodness was restored.

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