സെന്റ് മേരീസ് എച്ച്.എസ്.എസ്. പട്ടം/അക്ഷരവൃക്ഷം/ CLEANLINESS IS NEXT TO GODLINESS
CLEANLINESS IS NEXT TO GODLINESS
It was the shrill sound of my clock that woke me up. Reluctantly, I opened my eyes, blinking it few times because of the bright yellow light filtering through the curtains of my open window. I looked around, expecting colour papers and other remainings of my last night's project, to fly over my head and around the room. But as usual, my room was neat and clean. Thanks to my mom! For me it was her duty to clean the house. While enjoying the fresh air around me, my mom screamed from downstairs asking me to hurry up for school. After some struggle with the bedsheet, I stood up and hurried to get ready. After that I went downstairs where my mom was busy packing lunch box for me. I ate my breakfast quickly and rushed out through the door, where I stopped a second to say a good morning to my dad, who was skimmimg through the news paper. At the gate, my friends were waiting for me. Half running, half walking we hurried to school which was less than one kilometre away from my house. My friends were chatting about the project while my eyes were searching for someone. As we approached the school entrance, I found him, a boy of about four years whom I met one month ago at the same place smiling innocently at everyone who passed by, but no one returned the same. His mother sells vegetables and fruits, near the school. Somehow we became good friends, eventhough he is younger than me. As I saw him, a ear-to-ear grin appeared on my face but his innocent smile was missing. Something was not right with him that day and his mother was also not there at her usual place. I wondered why! I went and stood beside him. He was not even looking at me. I knelt infront of him and looked at his face. Only then I saw tears rolling down his pale cheeks. I inquired the reason. In a heartbroken tone, he asked me, " Can you please come with me?". Something held me back from neglecting his request. I simply nodded without saying a word. I asked my friends the same and they agreed too. He grasped my hand and rushed to his house. When we reached, we were shocked to see the place where he lived. It looked like a colony and it was very filthy. I never knew that there was such a place not very far from the main town. His house was just a shed, covered with few pieces of cloth. There were stagnant water on roads and sides of the house where we saw mosquitoes breeding. Wastes were thrown all around and were piled up too. It was a shabby place to live in. The boy lead the way inside his so called house, and we were again shocked to see his mother on bed, suffering from high fever. I realized that there was nothing we could do but just inform someone. And the first one who flashed through my mind was my dad. Oh! Sorry I forgot to say that my dad is a social worker who is in-charge of many Human Welfare Development projects. I informed my friends about calling my dad and went to find a phone booth. Somehow I found one and fortunately it was working. I called my dad and convinced him everything about the boy, his mom and her condition. Dad assured me to don't worry and he will come soon with an ambulance. I gave him the directions and went back. After about 15 minutes, my dad came along with one of his colleagues and took the lady to the nearby hospital. At evening, when he returned from work, I was informed that the lady was suffering from typhoid fever, and also the boy was under observation. He added that typhoid fever is caused by the ingestion of contaminated food and water. It affects many organs. It could be controlled only by practicing personal hygiene and by keeping the surroundings neat and clean. He also informed me that he has planned to build them a small house and clean the area with the help of some local support. I eagerly asked him whether I could also be a part of this mission. He suggested that I too have roles in this mission by keeping myself and my own surroundings neat and tidy. I realized that it's not just my mom's job to clean, but mine too. After that I always tried my best to keep myself and my surroundings clean. By doing so, I felt proud for giving my fellow beings a better and clean environment to live in. After some days, again I saw the sweet little kid at the same place where I first met him, holding a beautiful flower. It was his smile that captured my heart than the flower he presented to me. And I realized that, 'Cleanliness is next to Godliness'.
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