Hearts Polluted by Hatred

Once, I was at a superstore buying some groceries with my son in Dubai. I queued up at the checkout.

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The lady in front had a ginormous trolley and was taking her sweet time to place the items on the cashier counter. I was in sort of a hurry and was getting annoyed.

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After clearing her items, she looked back at me and my son with what seemed like an indifferent, condescending glance. I was becoming impatient.

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She finally got her bags and exited.

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I moved forward and before I placed my stuff on the counter, I noticed a big bundle of candies and chocolates that the lady forgot to pick up.

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I informed the cashier and she replied: "Don't worry about it. It's for your son. The lady who just left wanted to thank you for your patience, so she added these in at the end."

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More than shocked, I felt extremely "small".

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Here I was actually being impatient with a few minutes of delay while someone else saw my silence in a positive light and was thoughtful enough to reciprocate with a kind gesture.

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This taught me that the easiest kind of climate change we all can affect is in our hearts: Stop polluting it with hatred.

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"Husn-e-zan" (positive opinion about others) is such a scarce virtue. Those who adopt it often end up living the happiest lives.