Today I read a beautiful message and i would like to share to all. It’s a reminder to me. May Allah guide towards my “Connection” journey.
“Contact & Connection”
An old man (retired professor) was being interviewed by a journalist from NY. The journalist started interviewing the old man as planned earlier.
Journalist: “Sir, in one of your lecture, you told us about “Contact” and “Connection.” It’s really confusing. Can you explain?”
The old man smiled and apparently deviating from the question asked the journalist:
“Are you from New York?”
Journalist: “Yah..”
Old man: “Who are there at home?”
The journalist felt that the old man was trying to avoid answering his question since this was a very personal and unwarranted question. Yet the journalist said: “Mother had expired. Father is there. Three brothers and one sister. All married..”
The old man, with a smile on his face, asked again: “Do you talk to your father?”
The journalist looked visibly annoyed..
The old man: “When did you talk to him last?”
The journalist, supressing his annoyance said: “May be a month ago.”
The old man: “Do you brothers and sisters meet often? When did you meet last as a family gathering?”
At this point, sweat appeared on the forehead of the journalist.
It seemed that the old man was interviewing the journalist.
With a sigh, the journalist said: “We met last at Christmas two years ago.”
The old man: “How many days did you all stay together?”
The journalist (wiping the sweat on his brow) said: “Three days..”
Old man: “How much time did you spend with your father, sitting right beside him?”
The journalist looking perplexed and embarassed and started scribbling something on a paper..
The old man: “Did you have breakfast, lunch or dinner together? Did you ask how he was? Did you ask how his days are passing after your mother’s death?”
Drops of tears started to flow from the eyes of the journalist.
The old man held the hand of the journalist and said: “Don’t be embrassed, upset or sad. I am sorry if I have hurt you unknowingly..but this is basically the answer to your question about “Contact and Connection.” You have ‘Contact’ with your father but you don’t have ‘Connection’ with him. You are not connected to him. Connection is between heart and heart..Sitting together, sharing meals and caring for each other, touching, shaking hands, having eye contact, spending some time together..All your brothers and sisters have ‘Contact’ but no ‘Connection’ with each other..”
The journalist wiped his eyes and said: “Thanks for teaching me a fine and unforgettable lesson.”
This is the reality today.
Whether at home or in the society everybody has lots of contacts but there is no connection. Everybody is busy in his or her own world.
Let us not maintain just “Contacts” but let us remain “Connected.” Caring, Sharing and Spending time with all our dear ones.
