Complete Satisfaction

Few days before my sister's wedding, I along with my mother and two sisters had been to a shop for buying some sarees for them. Standing in a corner, disinterested in the whole thing happening around me, my eyes caught hold of a couple entering the shop. The lady seemed overwhelmed with extreme happiness and a look of excitement gleamed through her eyes.
Soon, I was completely detached from my surroundings and began to observe the lady who was full of enthusiasm, which provoked curiosity in me. They went near a salesman and he displayed few sarees for her. Those sarees were of least possible rate, hardly costing a few hundreds, the kind of sarees that my mother used to wear at home long ago. On the other hand my mother and my sister's range were not below a few thousands.

The lady’s face filled with a blend of joy and confusion to choose among the colorful sarees displayed just for her. She looked at the sarees and then turned to her husband and smiled as if she was asking him for his choice.

My sister broke my concentration to ask me how I felt about the saree that she was holding in her hands. I nodded quickly without giving much attention to her.

The shopkeeper on other hand was keen to help us rather than any other customers, as he knew that we would profit him in thousands and the profit gained by the poor couple would go unnoticed. He left no chance to explain us, why each saree was better than the other and tried to convince my mother and sisters.

Meanwhile, the lady had selected a saree and the salesman began to pack it for her. Her lips curved with a broad smile for her husband. In her smile, I could see happiness, gratitude and love for her husband.

She walked away with an expression of complete satisfaction on her face, which I had never experienced before or seen on anyone else’s face. She disappeared from the sight with a gift whose cost was negligible to us. On the other hand the ladies from my house walk out disappointed about not finding a good saree of their taste and in turn leaving a sad expression on the shopkeeper’s face.

It was only a matter of ten minutes from that day but the bit of thought that I gained from it shall remain with me for a lifetime. I knew by then that any gift shall be the most valuable one, if it is given and more importantly received with true love, care and joy; the cost never matters.