The box of nuts

The insignificance in life is sometimes most important. The moments we ignore to run after what we see at the end of the tunnel are the ones that might bring us that rare smile. I remember walking with my grandfather to the shop around the corner for petty things like curds and stationery. He was a slow, cautious walker. He used to stop once in a while to pick up a screw or a nut or a bolt lying in the way. I used to find it very funny as a child. It was a little game for me. I would hunt the road as we walked to find my own treasures and show them proudly to him. He would just smile - that soothing smile of his. When we would come back home, he would keep these random nuts and bolts in a little tin box. We had a full fledged tool box and whatever appliance would need to be fixed in the house, he would get to work - using these nuts and bolts as spares. The entire set of spanners, screw drivers, files, etc were neatly stacked in one place for these odd Sunday jobs. Whether it was oiling the rattling fan, or priming the motor, we were his enthusiastic and officious assistants. At the end of the operation we would be assigned marks on 100, but none of us every aced that score. He always saved a mark or two. And that kept us going.

When we grew up, he gave us his coin collection and his stamp collection, which is the best inheritance I could get. Both are rich, old and varied. I guess I get my fetish for collecting bus tickets, movie tickets, dinner bills and the works from him :) I remember saving wrappers of chocolate that I used to share with a friend. I collect all the junk in the world. But I've learnt that most often than not - all isn't junk after all.

So coming back to the small things in life - an auto wala chatting you up, or the song that you are humming that automatically starts playing in the mall you are at, the friend you are thinking about who's thinking about calling you the very same moment, or even the one scoop of strawberry ice cream that you treat yourself to - these are the insignificant things that make your life significant - make it worth living.

So while going down that road - look for your treasures. By the end of it, you'll have a box full of shiny and rusty nuts and bolts!