"Through Her Eyes..."

It was a rough day at work, and I felt completely drained. The constant grind, endless tasks, and mounting pressure had me wondering if it was time to resign and escape the chaos.

At 8:30 PM, my alarm buzzed, reminding me it was time to head to the bus stop. I packed my belongings and began the familiar walk. Each step was accompanied by a storm of self-doubt and frustration, as I mentally replayed every reason I hated my job.

When I finally reached the bus stop and boarded the bus, my mood began to shift. The one part of my day I genuinely loved was the commute. Sitting by the window with my favorite playlist of old Hindi songs, watching the world go by—it gave me a sense of calm. 

As I settled into my seat and plugged in my earphones, an elderly woman, probably in her sixties, sat down beside me. I had noticed her before, often taking this same bus at similar hours. 

Curiosity got the better of me. I unplugged my earphones, greeted her with a smile, and started a conversation. 

"Hi, Aunty. I’ve seen you on this bus often. You leave at 10 in the morning and come back late at night, even on Sundays. Where do you work?" 

She smiled warmly and replied, "I work in a building nearby, cleaning houses and washing dishes." 

Her response intrigued me, and I couldn’t resist asking, "Why do you work so much? At your age, you should be relaxing with your family." 

Her smile didn’t waver. "To survive in a city like Hyderabad, you have to keep going. If I don’t work, there’s no food on the table." 

Her words weighed heavily on me, but I knew our time was short—her stop was coming up. I asked one last question. "If you don’t mind me asking, how much do you make in a month?" 

She glanced at me with the same gentle smile and said, "Ten thousand rupees." Then, as the bus slowed to a stop, she got up, nodded goodbye, and left. 

I stared out of the window, her words echoing in my mind. Ten thousand rupees. For all that effort, all that struggle. Her resilience made my own problems feel small in comparison. 

That night, I realized something profound: life is a mix of struggles and surprises. Everyone faces challenges, but quitting doesn’t solve them. 

So, to anyone having a bad day at work, I urge you to pause and look around. There are people out there working harder than we can imagine just to survive. While our struggles are valid, we are often better off than we think. 

In the end, no one else will motivate you to keep going. The strength to push forward comes from within.