ANAND, a special friend with Down’s syndrome, is a quiet boy with a good sense of what is fair and unfair. One day, at my weekly meeting with Friends, he complained about Friend Chaitanya who did not allow him to take solar water first. “I am very angry today because I thought it was unfair,” he told me.

We discussed the issue at length. Chaitanya explained that he wanted the water for his friend who was ill and therefore took the water first. He said he had later realised his mistake and had apologised to Anand that morning itself. But Anand was still upset. However, at the meeting, he listened to Chaitanya’s explanation patiently.

At the end of the discussion, I asked him whether he was happy with the explanation and he said, yes. The two shook hands immediately.

Both Anand and Chaitanya are Caregiver Assistants and they have the responsibility of helping the caregivers run their home well. Immediately after the weekly meeting with friends, we have our monthly meeting with caregiver assistants, caregiver coordinators and assistant manager.

At the start of the meeting, Anand told me that after hearing Chaitanya’s explanation he thought it was okay for him to have taken the water first because he was helping another friend. “Now I am feeling peaceful. I am not angry.”

He forgave his friend and it helped him to release his own anger. I felt so good that he could voice his trouble and was able to work on it. Life will be so beautiful for us too if we also practice forgiveness on a regular basis.

By Dr. Neelima Desai, Founder President and MD