Come Back To Mother Earth

Yesterday, we decided to go to downtown Toronto by Go bus. So, I rang up GO and got the schedule. At the scheduled time, we arrived at the bus stop. But the bus came and went straight on instead of turning right as the GO lady told us on the phone. Perplexed we thought about going back home and come after an hour. As soon as we crossed the road, we saw another GO bus turning right. We tried running but no success. This time, we decided to sit in the Tim Horton’s next to the bus stop and wait for the next one.

While sitting there, I remembered when we first came to Canada, we lived in a basement for the first six months as we knew nobody here and stayed whatever place we could get. I used to take GO bus every day to York Mills and would make sure that I am on time for the bus. Missing one meant absence from work and the pink slip. We didn’t have our license so had to travel by public transport. For my next job, I had to change two subways and a bus to reach on time. So I had to start almost two hours before.

How soon we start to take things for granted. After getting the car, I never took the public transport and yesterday made me realize we have come a long way but in the process, we tend to sometimes forget life lessons. Though it was our own decision, I realized how difficult it is for new immigrants.

I had a chauffeur to drive me around back in India but coming to Canada was a big eye opener to the dignity of labour.  I had to be my maid, washer man, ironman apart from taking up a job and liking after home. I have decided not to take things for granted anymore.

Are you with me?