Have you ever cast aside your troubles and said, ‘so what?’ Have you ever shunned your self-pity and said, ‘so what?’ Perhaps, never. I want to share a very inspiring lesson I learnt from a street dog which helped me go through difficulties of life. It was in the year 1996, I found myself going through a rather low ebb of life. Faced with countless tensions, I was worried stiff, till one day a chance meeting with Yamma Gucci put my life back on the tracks and changed my entire perspective. I learnt that the art of living was not in wallowing but in facing the challenges.
Who was Yamma Gucchi? A stray dog! Conceivably hard to believe that a dog taught me the toughest lesson of life. But, it was true. Yamma was one of the waifs and strays in my neighborhood. Looked after by an old couple, Mr. and Mrs. Anand, she had earned quite reputation in the area. Most of it though was credited to her absurd name. The old couple had named almost all the stray dogs and used to feed them twice a day, in spite of stiff resistance from the neighbors. Endowed with compassion and kindness, this couple took good care of these dogs. By making frequent trips to the veterinary doctor for regular checkups, they ensured the well being of these dogs. But, the most noticeable, was the fact, that though they were strictly vegetarians, they cooked a delectable non- vegetarian fare for these dogs.
Every morning, on my way to the Laughter Club, I would see Yamma hopping and prancing on just three legs. She was a beautiful brown dog, distinct from the rest and I was saddened by her condition. Later, I learnt that she had been run over by a car, thus fracturing her hind leg which left her injured. Despite a broken leg, I noticed Yamma was very agile, enthusiastic and ran all over the place, like the other dogs. I went close and looked into her eyes. There was no sign of despair or depression. They sparkled and shone with life. It was then that it struck me that she was trying to convey a message and saying, ‘so what if I have a broken leg’. I continue to live and celebrate life. Life does not cease to exist for me. It is you human beings who constantly crib and exaggerate the happenings in your life.
Bravo Yamma Gucchi! I thought if a dog can continue to live and enjoy life even when incapacitated, what’s wrong with me? Why do I worry about the problems I have? I realized Yamma Gucchi showed me the way, by giving me the mantra: ‘so what’ I applied this mantra to most of the problems I faced and found they all vanished in no time. The instant I realized I could survive and manage, the fear was gone. People are in the habit of worrying about problems and stop short of asking themselves “so what?” They keep worrying and making their lives miserable. I believe if you apply this Yamma Gucchi formula (So What?) you will manage the differences and move ahead in life. It will provide you with more confidence and courage to face problems.
(Yamma Gucci died in March, 2008. She was run over by a car …I lost a guru who taught me the mantra ‘so what’)
Madan Kataria
