Small Story 239.

Small Story 239 "The Power of the Mind" Raman and his wife Lakshmi arrived at the Bengaluru railway station. They were warmly greeted by their grandson Adithya, who took them to his car. Adithya is the only son of Smitha, their daughter, who works in a leading company that deals with pharmaceutical equipment. As they drove, Adithya asked, "How was your journey, Grandpa and Grandma?" "It was fine," replied Raman. "We had a comfortable journey from Madurai. But it feels strange to leave after living there for 40 years." "Don't worry, Grandpa," said Adithya. "There was no other option. You both have to stay with us permanently now. Dad doesn't want you staying alone in Madurai anymore, and Mom is also very particular about it." They soon reached their destination—a beautiful four-bedroom posh apartment in the prime area of Jayanagar. Smitha and her husband Ram greeted them warmly. Smitha took their luggage to their room, which had been specially prepared for their stay. Most of Raman’s belongings had been donated to a senior citizens' home; he had moved with only a limited luggage from Madurai. At 77, Raman knew his daughter had made the right decision to ask them to leave the ancestral home in Madurai. Lakshmi was especially happy to see their well-furnished room with all modern facilities. Within a few days, Raman and Lakshmi became popular in the apartment complex. Raman, a retired Finance Manager from the TVS Group, and Lakshmi, a retired bank employee, were liked by all. Initially, they had difficulty hearing Smitha calling them, as the apartment was built over 4,000 square feet. But soon, they adapted to the routine and became comfortable in their new home. After a year had passed, Raman told Smitha, "Before leaving Madurai, I thought I wouldn’t enjoy living here after spending four decades there. But after settling in, I remembered the words of my Guru, Swami Vivekananda: ‘If you feel you are happy, you are happy. If you feel you are not, you are not.’ It is the mind that matters. I’m very happy with your decision to bring us here." Smitha was touched and deeply satisfied. Her mission had succeeded—her parents were happy, and all it took was a change in mindset. K.Ragavan 8-5-25