A value learnt at a street corner

Be it @ a party, @ a wedding, @ an hotel or @ my home, I never waste food, not even a grain.  I fill my plate with the required portions when i self serve or when it is being served i always ensure i block my plate with my right hand so that the serving host never fills my plate beyond my eating capacity. When done i might go for a second helping but, never will you find me wasting food. Even the leftover food at home like roti, rice or veggies will be recycled to make a new dish or passed on to the needy.  Although, this is a value which my parents and grandparents have tried to ingrain into me. A disturbing sight at a street corner was an eye opener for me.

   

This incident happened when i was in the high school and  may be I was around 13,  i don't remember exactly. 

  I was walking on a street, past a  wedding hall. The street corner had an overflowing bin with leftover food and plaintain leaves. The plaintain leaves, it was clear came from the wedding hall where guests were served the feast. What unfolded next was the most disturbing scene that taught me the value of a grain. 

 An old man in tattered clothes and overgrown beard was vying with the dogs for the left overs. It was such a heart tugging sight  to see an old man fighting for leftovers with animals. That was the day,  the fact that, Not all are blessed with good food to eat dawned on me. While some wine and dine in silver plates and spoons, there are many who have to eat the leftovers or even go hungry.

 After this whenever Appa said  " Saadam sindhadhay" ("don't spill rice"),  or kai eriyaday( don't waste vegetables), it fell on my ears and I  followed his words religiously.Ever since then i ensure i don't spill even a grain of rice or waste a piece of vegetable. 

That is why it disturbs me when at a wedding feast, exhibition, hotels, people load their plates beyond their capacity  or waste food because they don't like the taste. Finally the extra food ends in the trash. In a country, where  every third Indian is undernourished, food wastage, even a grain is a criminal waste. The extra food in good condition could be passed to the needy - humans or animals.  A value i learnt at a street  corner and have also ingrained in my children.

I am sharing what "I Saw and I learnt" at The best community of Indian bloggers  Blogadda. in association with 'Do Right'