Change of perspective

I recently graduated from owning a cycle to owning a car. Of course I still own a cycle and will continue to do so life long, but there's a big difference between cycling to office despite having a car at home and cycling to office because a cycle is all u have. And the car I shifted to is a honda City.

To start with, let me say what a pleasure it is to drive a honda city. It is such a comfortable car, I can now understand why people get to hung up on their cars. Of course I can't say I have a love affair with my car, but suffice to say that I depend on it and care about it and want it to continue giving me trouble free performance.

Now the funny thing I have noticed after I started using a car is how people's attitudes towards me has changed. I am suddenly a big car owner. People have started giving me more respect. More people come up to me to say hi or generally make conversation. People stare at me when I drive my car into the parking lot, its like they can't believe I have shifted from riding a cycle to driving a big car. My maid asked me for money for sweets. My landlord commented - I've heard that you drive a big car now! The college I go to for teaching, I get more respect from the other teachers there. It is so amazing! The amount of difference that your mode of transport can make on the amount of respect you get.

I am however grateful to whoever/whatever is up there for the experience of being without any motorised form of transport. If I had just graduated to owning a car from owning a bike without being vehicle-less in between, I would have never had the strong urge in me of helping other people who are vehicle-less. I used to stand in bus stops and try to hitch rides from people who would be travelling in their cars all alone, I used to vow to myself that I would never waste the space available in my car like that and I would give a lift to other people whenever I could. And I feel happy that today I am able to give lifts to people waiting in bus stops like I used to wait once. I read in an article somewhere that doing a random act of kindness daily significantly boosts your hapiness level. And it is true!

Confession: I just could not write this peice from my heart. All the while I was writing this, I was imagining some young eligible girl reading it and hence there was a subtle effort at showing myself in a positive light. But this peice has been going on in my mind for many days, I really wanted to explore the change in perspective in my life after getting a car. There has of course been a change in other's attitudes towards me, but what about my own change in perspective? Well, for one thing, I can no longer imagine travelling by buses. It just seems like such a waste of time and effort. Right now, I can transport myself from greater noida to delhi in almost the same money I used to spend on busses and autos earlier. Does this mean I am getting soft? Maybe, but it definitely means I am getting older - more demanding of luxuries and not so willing to rough it out anymore. More on other changes in me soon.