Aunty Toto was not her real name, though strangely we all called her that! She had every kind of problem that you could think of, resting on her shoulders. Her husband had left her, her children had married wrong, her grandchildren were a source of worry and finally she found her body racked with cancer.

But she smiled.

There was never a day when the passengers on the local train she travelled to work every day, didn’t hear her voice, rising over the din and telling everybody a joke. There wasn’t a day when those in the office she worked in, at an age when most others retire, didn’t see the smile on her face.

Here’s a story: One evening a man was addressing a workshop on the concept of work culture. One of the participants asked, "I am a senior manager of a materials department and joined an organization twenty five years ago as an engineer trainee and over the last 25 years I have gone through every experience in the organization."

"During the initial part of my career, the job was very challenging and interesting. However, all those exciting days are gone since I do not find my job any more interesting because there is nothing new. I am now feeling bored because I am doing a routine job."

‘Central government reduces petrol, diesel prices by Rs 2’…. India Today, 14th March

There was a burst of crackers downstairs, and thinking they were gunshots I ran to the window. It was my rich neighbour letting loose fireworks around his fancy Mercedes, “What’s the occasion?” I asked.

“I’m taking out the car today!” he said gleefully, sitting behind his smartly dressed chauffeur.