The window

Aravinda could see his wife in a depressed mood. While sipping his morning tea, he gave that a thought. What could it be, he was about to inquire. But then, she spoke:

“Did you see that?”
“See what?”
“The clothesline… over there…”

She pointed to a clothesline through the window. It belongs to the lady next door. They joined the neighbourhood recently. Aravinda wondered if the clothesline existed before, from the very first day they set foot here, but he could not recollect.

“I feel like buying some good washing powder for them. They don't know how to wash properly.”

“You are correct. Some people are like that. I think they are just lazy to wash properly. Disgusting, isn’t it? I would have complained to the Council.”

Aravinda ignited Sujatha’s opinion. The conversation gradually shifted to other topics. And the day lapsed without incident. Later at night, though, Aravinda felt uneasy. He remembered what his teacher emphasized: rid the fault-finding nature. Okay, today I did it, but tomorrow I won’t spice it up - no, I won’t do it again.

The following day, too, Sujatha’s eyes rested on the window as if by habit. Seeing that, Aravinda could not help adding his bit of criticism:

“Perhaps you can have a laundry class.”
“This is Sri Lanka. You have to expect far worse things.”
“I don’t know when these people will grow up. Just see how dirty those clothes are!”

Criticism is yummy. So is fault-finding, Aravinda realised. But is this fault-finding? This is constructive criticism. When your neighbour shows off their dirty linen, you got to talk about it. He could feel theories forming to defend his act. The theories were warring with what his teacher emphasized.

As he woke up every morning, Aravinda thought to himself that he shall not inflame Sujatha’s remarks on the clothesline. But when he steps into the kitchen his temptation was just too much to keep to the resolve.

But there came one morning when Aravinda was waiting for Sujatha to open the conversation. His guess was right. She was surprised.

“You are up early today,” she said making tea for both of them, “At last someone has taught them to wash properly.”

“Why?”
“Look, the clothes are clean.”
“They were always clean, Sujatha.”
“What do you mean?”

“You may not have noticed it. But I got up early and cleaned our windows.”

She could not believe him at first. Sujatha stood up and went to the window. She touched it. She smelt the fresh scent of the cleaned windows.

“How did you know it’s the windows?” Sujatha asked.
“It's a long story, honey.”
“I need to hear it.”

The previous night Aravinda saw a terrible dream. The ownership of his property was stolen, though he could still use it. But soon to his dismay he found that his property is being demolished inch by inch.

As he woke up early in the morning he reflected on what he has been taught. When a mind is clean what it sees is also clean. That’s how you get rid of finding faults. How do you make your mind clean? One way is to spread loving-kindness.

You know that others make mistakes because of ignorance. Every blunder and crime is a result of ignorance. When you know it for certain then you have learnt the art of forgiving them.

He knew it was the perfect time to spread loving-kindness. He started thinking of people and beings with loving-kindness. First neutral ones and then dear ones. His heart became a lotus slowly blossoming with petals. He was ready to open the door of his heart to enemies. He could spread loving-kindness to them too.

His mind was burning with energy of loving-kindness. His enemies have not done anything wrong to him. They are suffering too. If they did something really bad, natural forces will take care of that. So they suffer. They have to be sympathized with.

Forgive them for they do not know what they do.

His mind was full of energy. He thought of the new neighbours too. Then suddenly he remembered something. He reached the window and looked at the clothesline through the window. Then he went to the storeroom and came back with cleaning equipment. Aravinda rubbed the window clean.

He could see how fresh the clothes are. They glistened with freshness. Aravinda could not believe his eyes.

Sujatha listened to the story breathtakingly. She discovered they both had not taken their meals. Neither of them was interested in meals anymore. Sujatha stood up and went to the window.

“I feel bad, Aravinda.”
Aravinda was silent. She looked sweeter than ever for him.
“I want to say sorry. But there's no one to say so.”
“There is one.”
“Who is that?”

“You. Forgive yourself. The loving-kindness starts from you. You have to love yourself before loving others. For that you have to forgive yourself.”

Sujatha looked at Aravinda. They were silent. Aravinda tried to read her face: smiling and eyes wide open. By the window, morning sunray cast a shadow on her forehead. Imaginary raindrops glistened on her cheek. He could feel the change in his wife.

The battle is done at last, Aravinda felt relieved. [email protected]