It was one of those days — the kind that felt heavier than usual. Shreya had just walked out of an exhausting meeting at work, one that left her feeling drained and defeated. The project was slipping further from her control, and her colleagues seemed more interested in pointing fingers than solving problems. The tension of the meeting still clung to her like a fog as she stepped out of the office building.
The rain, which had been absent in the morning, was now starting to drizzle. Shreya barely noticed the wetness as she walked toward her usual rickshaw stand. She was lost in thought, the weight of the day pressing down on her shoulders.
As she approached the corner, she spotted Rajesh standing by his rickshaw, waiting for passengers. His eyes lit up when he saw her, a familiar grin spreading across his face.
“Good afternoon, madam!” he greeted, the cheerfulness in his voice seeming to pierce through the gloom of her day.
“Hi, Rajesh,” Shreya murmured, forcing a smile but not feeling it in her heart.
She climbed into the back of the rickshaw, grateful for the familiar presence of Rajesh, even if it wasn’t enough to shake off the frustration still simmering inside her. As they started moving, the sounds of the city felt muffled, and Shreya’s mind continued to replay snippets of the meeting — the cold stares, the unanswered emails, the impossible deadlines.
After a few moments, Rajesh glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “Is everything okay, madam? You seem quiet today.”
Shreya sighed, rubbing her temples. She hadn’t meant to unload on him, but the pressure of the day was too much. “I’m just... I’m so tired, Rajesh. Every day feels like a battle. There’s always something new to fix, something new to worry about. And no matter how hard I try, I feel like I’m falling behind. I’m not even sure what I’m working for anymore.”
Rajesh’s eyes softened as he listened, but he didn’t interrupt. His hands gripped the steering wheel, and his calm presence seemed to create a space for her to talk.
“I’m supposed to be climbing the corporate ladder, making progress, but it all feels so... empty. My job, my routine, it’s like I’m running in circles, never getting anywhere.” Shreya's voice cracked slightly as she continued, her words tumbling out faster now. “I don’t know if it’s worth it anymore.”
There was a long pause as Rajesh navigated the busy street. Shreya’s gaze was fixed on the window, watching the blur of rain on the glass. She could feel the weight of her words in the silence that followed.
Then, softly, Rajesh spoke. “Sometimes, madam, we forget to live in the present. We’re always looking ahead, chasing something — promotion, success, money... But in that chase, we miss what’s right in front of us.”
Shreya turned her head to look at him, surprised by the simplicity of his words. “What do you mean?”
Rajesh’s gaze was steady as he focused on the road ahead. “What’s the point of running ahead if you don’t enjoy where you are? The best moments don’t happen in the future. They happen in the little pauses — the breaks, the quiet moments, even in the rain. You have to learn to see them.”
Shreya felt a lump form in her throat. He was right, she realized. She had been so focused on the next big thing — the next promotion, the next deadline, the next goal — that she had forgotten to enjoy the little things. The small pauses. The moments that could bring joy if she simply stopped to notice them.
A part of her had always known this, but it had gotten lost somewhere along the way. Maybe it was the pressure of her job, or maybe it was the city, its endless rush pulling her forward. But Rajesh’s words brought a clarity she hadn’t felt in months. She realized how much she had neglected the simple joys — the laughter of friends, the quiet beauty of a rainy day, even the small comfort of a rickshaw ride with a stranger who had somehow become a friend.
The rickshaw stopped at a red light, and for a moment, there was nothing but the sound of raindrops hitting the roof. Shreya took a deep breath, letting the cool air fill her lungs. She had spent so much time trying to control everything around her, but maybe it was time to let go of the need for constant progress.
“Thank you, Rajesh,” she said, her voice quieter now. “I think I needed to hear that.”
He smiled in the rearview mirror, his expression warm. “It’s nothing, madam. Sometimes we just need to slow down and listen to the world around us. It always has something to teach.”
The rickshaw started moving again, and Shreya felt a weight lifting off her shoulders. The frustrations of the day weren’t gone, but they no longer felt insurmountable. For the first time in a while, she didn’t feel like she had to fix everything. She didn’t have to rush.
As they neared her stop, Shreya felt a quiet understanding settle between them. The city buzzed around them, its usual chaos continuing, but it no longer seemed so overwhelming. There was peace in the pause, in the rain, and in the ride that had turned into something more.
When the rickshaw pulled up to the curb, Shreya felt a sense of calm that she hadn’t expected. She turned to Rajesh with a smile, her heart lighter than it had been all day.
“Thank you,” she said again, her voice sincere. “I feel... better. A lot better.”
Rajesh nodded, his grin as easy as ever. “Take it easy, madam. Don’t forget to enjoy the little things.”
Shreya stepped out of the rickshaw, her feet hitting the wet pavement with a soft splash. As she walked toward her building, the weight of the day no longer felt as heavy. She had a sense of clarity, a feeling of peace that had been missing for so long. And for the first time in a long while, Shreya didn’t feel like she was running — she was just living, one step at a time.