A husband once searched Google for an advice, `How to tackle wife?’ Google answer was, ‘Good day sir, even we are searching’. Life has become so ‘digital’ that the modern trend is to find an answer to individual problems through exclusive short cuts. Nobody is ready to design his own possibilities or take up challenges that come by. It is said that with no fresh challenges in sight, with no more mountains to scale, what we deserve is a nervous breakdown. Too often, people passively sit around waiting for their dreams to come true. As time goes by, they begin to think that things will never change for them and the longer the wait the more frustrated they become.
I’m reminded the story of a lady. She was so big that she had to lower herself slowly, squeezing her ample bottom into any seat, filling all available space. But never forgot to greet another, who passed by. She once opened a conversation with her fellow passenger in the flight. She turned to the man and said, “Hai, How are you? My name is Laura. I’m from Britain. How about you? Japan?” Quite embarrassed, the man replied, “Malaysia.” Laura understood that the man is reserved. She said, “I’m so sorry! Will you accept my heartfelt apology? If we’re going to spend six hours side-by-side on this flight, we’d better be friends, don’t you think?” He shook her hand reluctantly, still silent.
Laura started a conversation; she talked excitedly about herself and her trip to Hong Kong to see her friends. She rattled off a list of things she was going to buy for her students in the boarding school where she was teaching. The man gave her one-word answers to her questions about him. Her voice was warm and caring. She was considerate and obliging when they were served meals. Laura was an interesting conversationalist. She was well read in many subjects from philosophy to science. She turned a seemingly unimportant subject into something to explore and understand. Her comments were humorous and inspirational. In the meantime, Laura managed to make every cabin crew walk away laughing at her jokes. When a flight attendant was clearing our plates, Laura cracked several jokes about her size. The man sitting aside finally asked her, “Have you ever thought about losing some weight?” “No. I’ve worked hard to get this way. Why would I want to give it up?” He continued, “You aren’t worried about cardiovascular diseases that come with being overweight?” She replied, “Not at all. You only get the diseases if you’re worried about your weight all the time. You see advertisements from slimming centres that say, ‘Liberate yourself from your extra baggage so that you are free to be yourself.’ It’s rubbish! You’re liberated only if you’re comfortable about who you are, and what you look like any time of the day and anytime of the year! Why would I want to waste my time on slimming regimes when I have so many other important things to do and so many people to be friends with? I eat healthily and walk regularly; I’m this size because I am born to be big! There is more to life than worrying about weight all day long.”
The story goes on telling that by the end of the flight, almost half the cabin crew was standing near the aisle by them, laughing and joking with Laura. The passengers around them also joined in the merry-making. Laura was the centre of attention. When the man waved goodbye to Laura at the arrival lounge at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Airport, she was walking towards a big group of adoring adults and kids. Cheers sounded as the group hugged and kissed Laura. The man was stunned, before him was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life.
