A GOOD THAT HAPPENED TO ME!

             A GOOD THAT HAPPENED TO ME!

            On one fine day while reading about the American novelist Thronton Niven Wilder, I came across a beautiful quote given by him which goes, “ WE CAN ONLY BE SAID TO BE ALIVE IN THOSE MOMENTS WHEN OUR HEARTS ARE CONSCIOUS OF OUR TREASURES.” Wow, what a beautiful quote! It whispered to me a million things which my heart always knew but never acknowledged before.

“Treasure”, how could I encounter the word treasure and not think of my parents, they are my metaphors of treasure. They have unconsciously influenced my personality as a whole. My father who works abroad, might have never thought how he was building me as a person. He works selflessly to provide us with an extraordinary life, which I am grateful for. My mother who has to take up roles of mom and dad at times had spurned the role differences which are witnessed in our society. The man of the house, works the entire year neglecting his good and bad days and when he comes to spend some quality time with his family is just priceless. There was a day, when I was in 10th and awoke myself for studying at the late hours of night. A sudden sound from the kitchen grabbed my attention, “Anybody there?” I said. “ you woke up, here's your coffee” said my father. He had done things for me even before but this incident is inscribed in my heart and will always be appreciated. You might have heard this before, fathers are the protectors. Me who has stayed, travelled, lived most of the time without the presence of my father has made me brave, confident and sensitive at the same time. As I recall all my memories to pen it down, I am reliving all these feelings, which I have experienced all these years. The more I think the more am grateful for. Nostalgic!

Well, major part of my life, I have seen my mother struggle without the support of a husband. I have seen her grow! Yeah, you read it correct. She is a strong, sensitive, courageous woman on her own. When I say I have seen her grow is because this lady never knew how sturdy she could actually be to protect, nurture and train her four daughters alone with so much patience and courage to face the cruel world. There’s no work which my father can do and my mother can’t. She has done it all without any complains. Places where you may expect your father to join, I have got my mother there, I have had no choice though! Be it my board exams or admissions, mentoring me or joining me while I give my driving test, taking us to hospitals at any hour of the clock to sticking to the emergency wards for days. I am thankful for every effort of hers. How am I not suppose to learn from her? She has taught me to stand tall in the face of every storm which passes by. She has made me a person I am today.

This life is full of contributions. You are the main character in the story of your own life, just like everyone else and all the supporting characters in your story of life has different roles to deliver, probably lessons. Some may make you, some may break you, some may teach you. The reality is we are incomplete without each other. Almighty God has made human as a social animal. We want each other's existence in order to survive and walk, the path full of thorns which we call life. Nobody wants to die alone, we need people, family, friends to share our happy-sad moments, ups and downs. Isn’t we humans, so complicated? In this materialistic world where we grind ourselves in studies, career and in attainment of various goals and achievements but we fall for a persons existence, a glimpse of an old friend, smile on the faces of your parents and the voices of your offsprings, keep you going through all the hurricanes of life. I think we aren’t thankful enough. Every character has to be thanked immensely for their part of share in our lives. I have so much to be thankful for and the greatest gift of my life I have received from someone in the world, are my parents. Their roles in my life have engraved a million lessons which are like a fuel, a kind of nourishment to my very own being. I was never this grateful towards my parents before, how much this incident, which I will be sharing, made me feel. I always wanted a normal family. Where their dads have their breakfast and dinner on the table together with the rest of the family. I wanted both of my parents to attend my annual day performances and not just my mother. The festivals were the days when the sour taste of life turned our Sheer-Khurma (a sweet dish) a less sweeter. The absence of him has echoed my mind and resided in some corners of my heart always. Me being unaware of the fact that how tough it would have been for him as well, to stay distant form his children, missing them day and night and just hearing their voices was his only hope to go on. Nice! that now we are just one call away through the face time facilities. Unable to see his children grow, how a father might have felt, only a father could comprehend the same. I won various competitions which I could only inform him about and not celebrate together. I never complaint to him for not being at places physically because I knew he was always there. I am glad for the void I felt due to his absence. If not this longing for father, suffusing my soul could teach me to be grateful for his efforts, so I don’t know what else could have. A mothers womb or the father’s mind, from the very first month of the 9 months till the day they count their last gasps, their soul never stop thinking about their child for even once.

The moment I still remember afresh has everything to do with a bucket full of happiness given by my father to me which is sufficient for me to thank him for being the person he is. We are four sisters by the way, and there was an incident where my father was asked “Four daughters!!” “Wouldn’t it be nice if you had a son too?” His reply to the same was priceless. My father replied, “My single daughter is better than 10 sons and above all they are my 4 opportunities to have an accepted pilgrimage. Barakah (blessings) of our house.” I was at the top of the world. Isn’t it beautiful to have a father like that who do not think of his daughters, tonnage on his shoulders and of any less value rather better than sons. Most importantly he never blamed or tormented my mother for not giving birth to a male child. One thing which he shared with us was, as him being the only son of my grandparents, he has thought about the linage of the family but that thought stood for no concern after he saw the seraphic faces of his daughters. And above all giving us the best life. How incredibly beautiful is that a human being could actually make some one feel this important, this loved. There are so many reasons to love him and be grateful for!

My mother on the other hand has raised us like daughters not less than sons. As coming from a South Indian family, where still it is believed that the ones who has brides for farewell has to keep their pockets full of gold. She has heard things like “don’t waste so much of wealth on their education”, “ you have 4 daughters to send off, why to waste money on them now, better save it!” My mother knew what she was doing. She replied the way every mom should counter to what was said to her. “The almighty, who has provided me with 4 daughters, the same Almighty will keep providing for them even ahead. I am just doing my part.” I was moved listening to it . Being a daughter of such amazing humans has a direct effect on me. They inspire me every single day. The gift I have received from these two human beings is not any thing which could be shown but what the people could eventually see. When I say they have made me, I mean, they have given me the essence of their values, patience, hard work , sacrifices, their struggle and so much of respect. The respect which a daughter could ever imagine. They have made me feel valued, loved, welcomed. Isn’t it the most precious of all the presents.

I experienced the most exquisite kind of contentment to put down in words .

 Here’s few lines in the name of my parents engulfed in a poem-

             The Treasure I own

I have not travelled the world

But I have been around you,

Neither have I eyed a gnarled

Knotted of duties, bring off in a blew.

Engraved in me the lessons you taught

hurting you was in guilt I caught,

the warmth of your benign heart

In it's shades I reside which you impart.

Every minor inconvenience I have ever felt

the spikes of dart your hearts forever dealt,

never can I recompense, your endearing souls

I owe centuries of love for the diamonds who were never coals.

~hud

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I got this opportunity to write on such a thoughtful theme (A Good that happened to me!) through a competition called creative writing organized by Smt. Kapila Khandala College of Education Club. Competitions of such kind are more like an enlightenment to one's soul. Secured Consolation prize for the same. Had a great experience all together!