Sarita, have you given me all the chocolates...

Today I am going to tell you the story of Sarita and Saral. The two of them were the best of friends. However, there was something standing between their friendship. It was Saral’s craze for marbles. He had lots of marbles that he had collected meticulously. (I am sure some of you would also have collected marbles when you were kids.) Those marbles were like trophies to him. And his favourite was a bright, big, blue marble that he could touch and identify even in the dark.

Now one day, Sarita got lots of foreign-made chocolates from her grandma. When Saral saw the chocolates, his mouth started watering. He asked Sarita for some chocolates which she gave happily. After all they were friends and Sarita had forgiven him when he refused to even let her touch his blue marble. However, some chocolates were not enough for Saral. Mind you, they were no ordinary chocolates. They were expensive foreign-made chocolates that would melt in your tongue and they were rare. Now when Saral asked Sarita for the chocolates again, she was quiet. When Sarita did not respond for a long time, Saral said, “Ok Sarita, I know, how will you give me all the chocolates if I keep asking you like this. Let’s exchange. I will give you all my marbles and you give me all the chocolates. Is that fine?”

Sarita was amazed that for once, Saral had offered to exchange his marbles for anything. She recalled all the moments when Saral had just ignored her because he got so busy playing with his marbles. Though she too wanted some chocolates for herself, she thought that this was a golden opportunity to throw away the marbles that stood between them. So she agreed and they exchanged their possessions. Sarita gave all her chocolates to Saral. However, Saral kept back his favourite blue marble.

Taking the marbles with her, Sarita turned to go home. But hardly had she taken a couple of steps when Saral called, “Sarita, have you given me all your chocolates?”

Sarita: Yes, I gave you all and I have none.

As she turned to walk again, he called once more, “Sarita, are you sure, you have given me all the chocolates?” She again replied, “Yes, you saw right.”

Again as she started walking, he asked for the third time, “Sarita, are you very sure that you have not kept even one chocolate with you?”

Dear friends, this is not just the story of Sarita and Saral but mine and yours and our relationship with God. When I heard this story for the first time I pondered and found it so very true in my life. Someone asked me why I was writing about forgiveness and my answer is Forgiveness is the best medicine to all your sufferings. You don’t just have to forgive your enemies and those who have hurt you in some way or the other but you need to forgive yourself and forgive God too. It’s only then that you can start trusting Him. Did you find out why Saral could not believe that Sarita had given all her chocolates to him? The answer is very simple. Because he had not given all his marbles to her. We too can’t forgive others completely because we doubt whether they have forgiven us or not. However, it’s other way round. And at the same time, we don’t forgive ourselves and God and deep within we think that we are not forgiven. Do you know why we are so reluctant to start conversation when we quarrel with our closest of friends? Not because of our ego but because of our weaknesses and ignorance about the power of forgiveness.

I don’t know whether forgiveness does any good to the forgiven or not but I sure do know that it takes away a huge burden from the forgiver and releases him from the bondage of hatred. It teaches us to love more selflessly.

Let this Lenten season be a season of forgiveness. Forgive yourself and forgive God for all the bad times you may have had. At the same time, let go off the entire grudge you may have harboured in your heart since ages. Let forgiveness flow...

God bless you.