Last week my hubby and I decided to visit one of my dad in law's old friends living in Delhi. He is a retired officer from the Ind...
Last week my hubby and I decided to visit one of my dad in law's old friends living in Delhi.
He is a retired officer from the Indian army. Very fine couple, well spoken, very well read and widely traveled. They had a son who they lost during the Kargil war, but they never show any trace of pain on their face.
It appeared as if everything in the garden is lovely, but the deep set wrinkles on aunty's face tell a different tale altogether.
Countless jokes of uncle, humor packed texture of his conversation, does a brilliant job camouflaging their PAIN with grace and elegance. We had a wonderful time spent with them. Since they are old associates of my dad in law (He is from Indian army too) my hubby had a gala time revising the old memories of his school days.
Uncle and aunty told some very funny incidents and I kept laughing like a fearless kid.
#dailytenminutes #shortstory
Soon their care taker served us neatly organised tea and with each simmering sip came even more interesting chain of events from uncle's well preserved memory bank. I was wondering as to how could they talk endlessly, without even a small pause.
After we were done with tea, I got up to collect all the cups and the other things to keep in a tray so that I could keep those back in the kitchen. BUT I was stopped by a very authoritative and strong voice-
."Noo, Please do not move those cups from there."
I was astounded by his reaction, was taken aback and looked at aunty if I had ruffled his feathers by any action of mine. My heart was in my mouth, literally. But then, Aunty looked at uncle and said softly- "Tussi bhi na, Bacche nu dara hi ditta, thora aram naal bhi keh sakde ho." ("You scared the child, could have said it more softly".
Uncle realised the sudden change in his voice and very sweetly he sat next to me, held my hand and kept his right hand on my head.
And what he spoke after that, made me cry from within. It was so painful, simple yet so profound..
Softly he spoke "Beta ji...in cups ko aise hee rehne do, subah tak nahi uthayenge. Kuchh toh ehsaas hoga ki zindagi yahan aayi thi. ("My loving daughter, please leave these cups like that only., will not remove them till morning. We also should have the feeling that life had come here."). The house always remains spic n span, nothing is moved or disturbed and is kept as it is. Ham taras jaate hain ki koi toh ghar ko ganda karne wala ho. ("We long for someone to come to our house and make it dirty") So let the cups stay that way. We will cherish the sight of it and promise me that you will visit us again with your sons."
All I could do was to cry and assure him to be back with my sons.
I like my house to be neatly organized and make sure my boys follow the suit too, but unfortunately my younger one still believes in living like a caveman. So as usual, when I was lecturing him today after seeing the plight of his room, I got reminded of this episode and suddenly, I stopped lecturing him and gave him a suffocating hug leaving him confused to the core.
I think taking out an hour in a month to visit your parents, relatives or old friends, doesn't cost us an arm and a leg. All it takes is a few stolen minutes from our lives.
PAIN is known only by
He is a retired officer from the Indian army. Very fine couple, well spoken, very well read and widely traveled. They had a son who they lost during the Kargil war, but they never show any trace of pain on their face.
It appeared as if everything in the garden is lovely, but the deep set wrinkles on aunty's face tell a different tale altogether.
Countless jokes of uncle, humor packed texture of his conversation, does a brilliant job camouflaging their PAIN with grace and elegance. We had a wonderful time spent with them. Since they are old associates of my dad in law (He is from Indian army too) my hubby had a gala time revising the old memories of his school days.
Uncle and aunty told some very funny incidents and I kept laughing like a fearless kid.
#dailytenminutes #shortstory
Soon their care taker served us neatly organised tea and with each simmering sip came even more interesting chain of events from uncle's well preserved memory bank. I was wondering as to how could they talk endlessly, without even a small pause.
After we were done with tea, I got up to collect all the cups and the other things to keep in a tray so that I could keep those back in the kitchen. BUT I was stopped by a very authoritative and strong voice-
."Noo, Please do not move those cups from there."
I was astounded by his reaction, was taken aback and looked at aunty if I had ruffled his feathers by any action of mine. My heart was in my mouth, literally. But then, Aunty looked at uncle and said softly- "Tussi bhi na, Bacche nu dara hi ditta, thora aram naal bhi keh sakde ho." ("You scared the child, could have said it more softly".
Uncle realised the sudden change in his voice and very sweetly he sat next to me, held my hand and kept his right hand on my head.
And what he spoke after that, made me cry from within. It was so painful, simple yet so profound..
Softly he spoke "Beta ji...in cups ko aise hee rehne do, subah tak nahi uthayenge. Kuchh toh ehsaas hoga ki zindagi yahan aayi thi. ("My loving daughter, please leave these cups like that only., will not remove them till morning. We also should have the feeling that life had come here."). The house always remains spic n span, nothing is moved or disturbed and is kept as it is. Ham taras jaate hain ki koi toh ghar ko ganda karne wala ho. ("We long for someone to come to our house and make it dirty") So let the cups stay that way. We will cherish the sight of it and promise me that you will visit us again with your sons."
All I could do was to cry and assure him to be back with my sons.
I like my house to be neatly organized and make sure my boys follow the suit too, but unfortunately my younger one still believes in living like a caveman. So as usual, when I was lecturing him today after seeing the plight of his room, I got reminded of this episode and suddenly, I stopped lecturing him and gave him a suffocating hug leaving him confused to the core.
I think taking out an hour in a month to visit your parents, relatives or old friends, doesn't cost us an arm and a leg. All it takes is a few stolen minutes from our lives.
PAIN is known only by
the One who has it. A little Kindness, Caring Attitude, Sympathetic Attitude & Empathy, shall
only add to your own HAPPINESS, SATISFACTION & sense of WELL BEING.
