The art of decision making

The pleasant evening air stretched itself luxuriously on the soporific streets of Bangalore. The evening sky, completely covered by the pearly white clouds mingled with the lugubrious aura of air had made me doggedly lethargic. I parked my vehicle in the portico and was getting my office bag out when a soft voice mumbled something indistinct. I looked around to see a little girl, no more than eight years old, saddling her three younger brothers along with her. She was small and skinny, short for her age. Filthy uncombed hair and dirty unwashed face marked her appearance, her bright little eyes being the only exception. “Will you give me some work”? She repeated. I was startled out of my reverie, thoroughly irritated that she had unknowingly pronounced my shameful languor. “What do you want”? I asked her shortly.

I did not feel any pity for her; I had seen too many people jostling around Bangalore, cornering people struck in traffic jams. Many of them carried half fed crying babies seldom their own. I had also seen them sporting a broken hand or limping convincingly on their unharmed legs. Many even included their children to gain compassion. Begging has evolved into a disgusting profession of sorts.

But she looked at me with her demure little eyes and said almost inaudibly “food”. If I was startled then it was nothing compared to now. This girl was not begging, she wanted to earn her food, to feed her hungry little brothers. Encouraged by her attitude and determined not to discourage her I gave her a broom and asked her to sweep the portico.
She did so cheerfully and informed me that she went to a government school in the morning. She swept every corner of the portico neatly and stood looking at me happily and expectantly.

As I looked back at her smiling I couldn’t help but appreciate the decision making skill in her at such a small age. She had taken the decision not to beg but earn her living. I could almost see the art of decision making blooming, influenced by the environment and culture in which one grows up, enduring the fierce battle between the emotions of heart and rationale of mind culminating in the choices one makes. The way the decisions we take outlines our character, nurtures our attitude and embellishes our spirit earning the appropriate adjective “Art”.

I gave her some food which she took thankfully. I watched her go, her three brothers jumping around her, a definite good impression formed in my mind. A thought occurred to me awakening my weather dimmed wits. There will be people creating such impressions about me all day long. I, being much older than her and having a responsible job in hand a lot more will be expected of me. Will I be able to replicate the simple decision taken by the girl in the complex scenarios of my life? Will my choices be right and erudite? I wondered.

The cool evening breeze hit my puzzled face; I laughed and turned towards my home leaving the unanswered question to time. The dull evening had been worthwhile after all. My sophomoric mind comprehended something that I knew all along “Good decision making is a sign of sound leadership”.