The Day the Clapping Stopped

Srinivas was a boy surrounded by noise. His thoughts chattered incessantly, like a thousand restless squirrels, his worries buzzed relentlessly, like trapped flies, and his heart raced with the constant rhythm of what-ifs.

On a quiet afternoon, his grandfather, with a slow, deliberate motion, raised one weathered hand between them. “Srinivas,” he said, his voice low and steady, “What is the sound of this one hand?”

Srinivas furrowed his brow, puzzled. He clapped his hands together - CLAP! 

“That’s the sound,” he said confidently.

His grandfather smiled gently, his eyes twinkling with wisdom. 

“But that is two,” he said. “Now listen carefully for one.”

Srinivas shut his eyes tight, straining to hear. He could only catch the ticking of the clock, a distant dog barking, the soft whisper of his own breath. But there was no magical sound. The silence seemed to mock him, the pressure mounting behind his eyes.

“I can’t hear it!” Srinivas cried out, his voice raw, his frustration building into a storm inside him.

His grandfather, with a calmness that soothed the air, placed his hand gently on Srinivas’s cheek. The warmth from that touch brought an unexpected stillness, and in that silence- suddenly- it all stopped.

👉The noise in Srinivas’s mind, 

👉 the cacophony of worries, fears, and questions, 

👉 fell away like a heavy fog lifting in the morning sun. 

And in that tender stillness, Srinivas finally heard it.

It wasn’t a sound, not with ears at least. It was the feeling of being present, of truly existing -without worry, without fear. It was a quiet hum of life itself, a profound peace woven from the absence of noise.

A serene smile crept across Srinivas’s face as realisation dawned. The answer had always been there. All he needed was to listen.

 Morals:

1. True Peace is Found in Stillness, Not in Noise or Busyness.
   Peace isn’t something we achieve by doing more; it’s found when we simply stop, breathe, and exist in the present.

2. The Power of Awareness—You Can’t Find Peace if You’re Always Chasing Noise.
   We often let our minds race, drowning in unnecessary thoughts. Peace arrives when we learn to step back, observe, and embrace quiet.

3. It’s Okay to Not Have All the Answers Right Away.
   It’s okay to not understand everything in a moment of frustration. Growth is born from patience, discomfort, and time.

4. Sometimes, the Answer is Already Inside You—It’s About Creating Space to Hear It.
   The answers we seek often reside within us. By clearing the clutter and making space for silence, we allow our inner wisdom to rise.

5. Presence is the Key to True Understanding and Peace.
   The key to peace and understanding is simply being present. In this moment. Right here, right now.