To Realize Small Happiness

Have you ever felt “I was an unhappy”? When negative things happened, I’ve sometimes thought so. However, I’ve been changing negative thinking into positive thinking by a variety of experiences.

This summer, I went to India with 13 people strangers who applied for a tour which contains volunteer activities and sightseeing. It some reasons why I went there, and one of the reasons was that I wanted to do something for people. I think India is not such a wealth country. Some Indian people live in big and beautiful houses and stay at an excellent hotels, but others do not. I saw a lot of people, who sleep outside at night and some Indians including children begged me for some money, foraged for food, and worked on the road. These were shocking scenes for me because I’ve never seen them in Japan. At the begging of the tour, I couldn’t feel comfortable in my new environment, but I adapted a few days later. Especially, I was changed by volunteering.

Second day, I started volunteering at Mother Teresa House. I worked at Shishubawan which is like a home for orphans. In Shishubawan, there are many children and they were in different buildings depending on whether children have a handicap or not. Some volunteers play with them and feed them. Others including me, helped washing with some Indian volunteers. It was a sunny day, so the laundry dried well on the rooftop. Many colorful suits and clothing with cute prints for children were hanged out on the thin wires. After teatime with biscuits and cup of chai, we picked up and folded the laundry, which had already dried. Indians spoke Hindi, so I couldn’t understand most of what they said to me, but I could understand a little by gestures. They called me Anti. Anti means volunteer, so not only sister and adult Indian volunteer also children called me that.

Next day, some of the tour members and I worked at a Brother House. It was located in a different place from Mother Teresa House. I helped children to take a shower and played with them in there and fed men who had handicaps and couldn’t eat foods by themselves. Before they ate Indian chicken curry, we need to cut the chicken into small pieces for them. When I was cutting it by hand, I talked with Indian volunteer. I asked him, “Why did you volunteer?” then he answered, “For my experience.” When I just heard his answer, I was happy because I have thought the same as him. Even though we are from different countries, we were there as volunteers with similar thinking. I remember a man whose hands are handicapped very much. He sometimes looked me with big smile and we made some poses, piece and good luck by hands each other and I began to smile too. I realized then, that although I wanted to give something to people, actually they give me power and happiness.

On the last day of volunteer activities I came back to Mother Teresa House. In this time I took care of ordinary children. They were really cheerful, so I moved around, but I didn’t feel tired so that children who were in there were smiling. Non-handicapped children could be adopted, when they grew some extent up, they start to study English for their future. It helps them to living other countries and prepare for school and more. Actually, Indian came to the orphans’ home to see the children sometimes, when I played with children. Then I thought about the future of the children who were there and I hoped their happiness truly.

After I came back to Japan, I realized how happy I am and how rich Japan is in all. I can live in a strong house with my family, work and make money for myself. I have thought these were natural, and not special, but it might be wrong. Fortunately, I can do that. It’s really happy things and I need to appreciate all. I have an unforgettable phrase from Japanese sister who was in India. “Please find Calcutta in Japan.” Japan looks wealth country, but, on the other hand, too many current scandals happened every day. I realized poor means not only for people who have financial problems and also physical problem. I want to go step by step and make a kind action for someone although it may really small steps. If we realized our small happiness, Japan may become a lovelier and the world may become a more peaceful place.