There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced in the woods; but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back for dinner.
As he was walking back he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it. He was shocked and grieved!
In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile; only to see his sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing..
After lunch the next day Grandma said, 'Sally, let's wash the dishes'
But Sally said, 'Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen.'
Then she whispered to him, 'Remember the duck?' So Johnny did the dishes.
Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and Grandma said, 'I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper.'
Sally just smiled and said, 'Well that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help'
She whispered again, 'Remember the duck?' So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.
After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's; he finally couldn't stand it any longer.
He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck.
Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said, 'Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you.'
Thought for the day and every day thereafter?
Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done... And the devil keeps throwing it up in your face (lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits, hatred, anger, bitterness, etc.) ..whatever it is...You need to know that God was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing. He has seen your whole life. He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven. He's just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you. The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness; He not only forgives you, but He forgets. It is by God's grace and mercy that we are saved.
Source: Forwarded email
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Miracle
A little girl went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet.
She poured the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even. The total had to be exactly perfect. No chance here for mistakes.
Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall's Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door.
She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention, but he was too busy at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster. No good. Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it!
'And what do you want?' the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice. I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't seen in ages,' he said without waiting for a reply to his question.
'Well, I want to talk to you about my brother,' Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone. 'He's really, really sick..and I want to buy a miracle.'
'I beg your pardon?' said the pharmacist.
'His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?'
'We don't sell miracles here, little girl. I'm sorry but I can't help you,' the pharmacist said, softening a little.
'Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs.'
The pharmacist's brother was a well dressed man. He stooped down and asked the little girl, 'What kind of a miracle does your brother need?'
'I don't know,' Tess replied with her eyes welling up. I just know he's really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy can't pay for it, so I want to use my money.'
'How much do you have?' asked the man from Chicago
'One dollar and eleven cents,' Tess answered barely audibly. 'And it's all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to.'
'Well, what a coincidence,' smiled the man. 'A dollar and eleven cents -- the exact price of a miracle for little brothers. '
He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said 'Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the miracle you need.'
That well dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed free of charge and it wasn't long until Andrew was home again and doing well.
Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place.
'That surgery,' her Mom whispered. 'was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?'
Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost...one dollar and eleven cents....plus the faith of a little child.
Source: Forwarded email
She poured the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even. The total had to be exactly perfect. No chance here for mistakes.
Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall's Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door.
She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention, but he was too busy at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster. No good. Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it!
'And what do you want?' the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice. I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't seen in ages,' he said without waiting for a reply to his question.
'Well, I want to talk to you about my brother,' Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone. 'He's really, really sick..and I want to buy a miracle.'
'I beg your pardon?' said the pharmacist.
'His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?'
'We don't sell miracles here, little girl. I'm sorry but I can't help you,' the pharmacist said, softening a little.
'Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs.'
The pharmacist's brother was a well dressed man. He stooped down and asked the little girl, 'What kind of a miracle does your brother need?'
'I don't know,' Tess replied with her eyes welling up. I just know he's really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy can't pay for it, so I want to use my money.'
'How much do you have?' asked the man from Chicago
'One dollar and eleven cents,' Tess answered barely audibly. 'And it's all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to.'
'Well, what a coincidence,' smiled the man. 'A dollar and eleven cents -- the exact price of a miracle for little brothers. '
He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said 'Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the miracle you need.'
That well dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed free of charge and it wasn't long until Andrew was home again and doing well.
Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place.
'That surgery,' her Mom whispered. 'was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?'
Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost...one dollar and eleven cents....plus the faith of a little child.
Source: Forwarded email
कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नहीं होती
लहरों से डर कर नौका पार नहीं होती,
कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नहीं होती ।
नन्हीं चींटी जब दाना लेकर चलती है,
चढ़ती दीवारों पर, सौ बार फिसलती है ।
मन का विश्वास रगों में साहस भरता है,
चढ़कर गिरना, गिरकर चढ़ना न अखरता है ।
आख़िर उसकी मेहनत बेकार नहीं होती,
कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नहीं होती ।
डुबकियां सिंधु में गोताखोर लगाता है,
जा जा कर खाली हाथ लौटकर आता है ।
मिलते नहीं सहज ही मोती गहरे पानी में,
बढ़ता दुगना उत्साह इसी हैरानी में ।
मुट्ठी उसकी खाली हर बार नहीं होती,
कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नहीं होती ।
असफलता एक चुनौती है, इसे स्वीकार करो,
क्या कमी रह गई, देखो और सुधार करो ।
जब तक न सफल हो, नींद चैन को त्यागो तुम,
संघर्ष का मैदान छोड़ कर मत भागो तुम ।
कुछ किये बिना ही जय जय कार नहीं होती,
कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नहीं होती ।
(निराला)
कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नहीं होती ।
नन्हीं चींटी जब दाना लेकर चलती है,
चढ़ती दीवारों पर, सौ बार फिसलती है ।
मन का विश्वास रगों में साहस भरता है,
चढ़कर गिरना, गिरकर चढ़ना न अखरता है ।
आख़िर उसकी मेहनत बेकार नहीं होती,
कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नहीं होती ।
डुबकियां सिंधु में गोताखोर लगाता है,
जा जा कर खाली हाथ लौटकर आता है ।
मिलते नहीं सहज ही मोती गहरे पानी में,
बढ़ता दुगना उत्साह इसी हैरानी में ।
मुट्ठी उसकी खाली हर बार नहीं होती,
कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नहीं होती ।
असफलता एक चुनौती है, इसे स्वीकार करो,
क्या कमी रह गई, देखो और सुधार करो ।
जब तक न सफल हो, नींद चैन को त्यागो तुम,
संघर्ष का मैदान छोड़ कर मत भागो तुम ।
कुछ किये बिना ही जय जय कार नहीं होती,
कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नहीं होती ।
(निराला)
Trust : a Famous Sufi Story
A man just got married and was returning home with his wife. They were crossing a lake in a boat when suddenly a great storm arose.
The man was a warrior, but the woman became very much afraid because it seemed almost hopeless: the boat was small and the storm was really huge, and any moment they were going to be drowned.
But the man sat silently, calm and quiet, as if nothing was happening. The woman was trembling and she said, "Are you not afraid? This may be our last moment of life! It doesn't seem that we will be able to reach the other shore. Only some miracle can save us; otherwise death is certain. Are you not afraid? Are you mad or something? Are you a stone or something?"
The man laughed and took the sword out of its sheath. The woman was even more puzzled: what he was doing? Then he brought the naked sword close to the woman's neck -- so close that just a small gap was there, it was almost touching her neck.
He said, "Are you afraid?"
She started to laugh and said, "Why I should be afraid? If the sword is in your hands, why I should be afraid? I know you love me."
He put the sword back and said, "This is my answer. I know God Loves me, and the sword is in his hands, and the storm is in his hands -- so whatsoever is going to happen is going to be good. If we survive, good; if we don't survive, good -- because everything is in his hands and he cannot do anything wrong."
This is the trust one needs to imbibe. Such tremendous trust is capable of transforming our whole life. And only such tremendous trust is capable of transforming our life -- less than that won't do.
Source: Forwarded email
The man was a warrior, but the woman became very much afraid because it seemed almost hopeless: the boat was small and the storm was really huge, and any moment they were going to be drowned.
But the man sat silently, calm and quiet, as if nothing was happening. The woman was trembling and she said, "Are you not afraid? This may be our last moment of life! It doesn't seem that we will be able to reach the other shore. Only some miracle can save us; otherwise death is certain. Are you not afraid? Are you mad or something? Are you a stone or something?"
The man laughed and took the sword out of its sheath. The woman was even more puzzled: what he was doing? Then he brought the naked sword close to the woman's neck -- so close that just a small gap was there, it was almost touching her neck.
He said, "Are you afraid?"
She started to laugh and said, "Why I should be afraid? If the sword is in your hands, why I should be afraid? I know you love me."
He put the sword back and said, "This is my answer. I know God Loves me, and the sword is in his hands, and the storm is in his hands -- so whatsoever is going to happen is going to be good. If we survive, good; if we don't survive, good -- because everything is in his hands and he cannot do anything wrong."
This is the trust one needs to imbibe. Such tremendous trust is capable of transforming our whole life. And only such tremendous trust is capable of transforming our life -- less than that won't do.
Source: Forwarded email
Never Give up
One day I decided to quit... I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality...
I wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
"God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"
His answer surprised me...
"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"
"Yes", I replied.
"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water.
The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed.
But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.
And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.
"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit.
In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit." He said.
"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth.
Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.
It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.
I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."
He said to me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots"
"I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you."
"Don't compare yourself to others." He said. "The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful."
"Your time will come", God said to me. "You will rise high"
"How high should I rise" I asked.
"How high will the bamboo rise" He asked in return.
"As high as it can" I questioned.
"Yes." He said,
"Give me glory by rising as high as you can."
I left the forest and bring back this story.
Source: Forwarded email
I wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
"God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"
His answer surprised me...
"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"
"Yes", I replied.
"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water.
The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed.
But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.
And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.
"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit.
In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit." He said.
"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth.
Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.
It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.
I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."
He said to me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots"
"I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you."
"Don't compare yourself to others." He said. "The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful."
"Your time will come", God said to me. "You will rise high"
"How high should I rise" I asked.
"How high will the bamboo rise" He asked in return.
"As high as it can" I questioned.
"Yes." He said,
"Give me glory by rising as high as you can."
I left the forest and bring back this story.
Source: Forwarded email
Thursday, December 23, 2010
The Ways of the World
Why does God burden me alone with so much strife? In a village a young boy was playing by the river’s edge. Suddenly, he heard a cry for help: “Save me, please save me!” A crocodile was caught in a net and it cried out for help. The boy hesitated: What if the crocodile ate him up? But the crocodile pleaded with him and said, “I promise you that i won’t devour you. Please save me!” Moved, the boy began to cut the net that had trapped the crocodile. No sooner was its head free from the net than the crocodile grabbed the boy’s leg in its jaws.
Now it was the boy’s turn to cry. “How unfair you are!” he shouted. The crocodile said: “What to do? Such is the way of the world. Such is life,” and continued. The boy was not worried about dying; he couldn’t accept crocodile’s ingratitude. While his leg was slowly sliding into the jaws of the crocodile, the boy looked at the birds on a nearby tree and asked: “Is the crocodile uttering the truth? Is life unjust? Are not words honoured?”
The birds replied, “We take such care to build safe nests on the tops of trees to protect our eggs. Yet, snakes come and swallow them. The crocodile is right. Then the boy saw a donkey grazing on the banks of the lake and repeated his question. “When i was young, my master loaded soiled linen on my back and extracted maximum amount of work from me. Now that I am old and feeble, he has abandoned me. Such is indeed the way of the world. There is injustice and unfairness and such is life!” said the donkey. The boy, still not convinced, noticed a rabbit and repeated his question.
The rabbit said, “No, no! I cannot accept what the crocodile is saying. It is utter nonsense!” Hearing this, the crocodile became angry and wanted to argue with the rabbit, even while holding the boy’s leg in its strong jaws. The rabbit protested, saying that as the crocodile’s mouth was choked with the boy’s leg, it was not able to decipher what the crocodile was trying to say. The crocodile laughed heartily at this and said, “I am not a fool! If i let go, the boy would run away!”
“Now, you are really stupid,” said the rabbit. “Have you forgotten how.strong your tail is? Even if he runs, you can smash him with just one mighty lash of your tail!” The crocodile fell for this and releasing the boy, continued its argument and the boy took to his heels.
Only when it tried to raise its tail, did the crocodile realise that it was still entangled in the net. The crocodile glared at the rabbit. The rabbit smiled sweetly, saying: “Now do you understand? Such is the way of the world! Such is life!” In a short while, the young boy returned with the villagers. A dog that came along spotted the rabbit and started chasing it. The boy screamed at the dog “This rabbit saved my life; don’t attack him”. Alas, before the boy could intervene, the dog had chased and killed the rabbit in a jiffy.
The distressed boy cried and said to himself, “What the crocodile said was true. Such is the way of the world. Such is life!” Unfairness is a part and parcel of life. Such is the way of life. Can we teach ourselves not to be victims of unfairness and face it with the understanding that life’s mysteries cannot be fully understood?
Souce: Speaking Tree - Swami Sukhabodhananda
Now it was the boy’s turn to cry. “How unfair you are!” he shouted. The crocodile said: “What to do? Such is the way of the world. Such is life,” and continued. The boy was not worried about dying; he couldn’t accept crocodile’s ingratitude. While his leg was slowly sliding into the jaws of the crocodile, the boy looked at the birds on a nearby tree and asked: “Is the crocodile uttering the truth? Is life unjust? Are not words honoured?”
The birds replied, “We take such care to build safe nests on the tops of trees to protect our eggs. Yet, snakes come and swallow them. The crocodile is right. Then the boy saw a donkey grazing on the banks of the lake and repeated his question. “When i was young, my master loaded soiled linen on my back and extracted maximum amount of work from me. Now that I am old and feeble, he has abandoned me. Such is indeed the way of the world. There is injustice and unfairness and such is life!” said the donkey. The boy, still not convinced, noticed a rabbit and repeated his question.
The rabbit said, “No, no! I cannot accept what the crocodile is saying. It is utter nonsense!” Hearing this, the crocodile became angry and wanted to argue with the rabbit, even while holding the boy’s leg in its strong jaws. The rabbit protested, saying that as the crocodile’s mouth was choked with the boy’s leg, it was not able to decipher what the crocodile was trying to say. The crocodile laughed heartily at this and said, “I am not a fool! If i let go, the boy would run away!”
“Now, you are really stupid,” said the rabbit. “Have you forgotten how.strong your tail is? Even if he runs, you can smash him with just one mighty lash of your tail!” The crocodile fell for this and releasing the boy, continued its argument and the boy took to his heels.
Only when it tried to raise its tail, did the crocodile realise that it was still entangled in the net. The crocodile glared at the rabbit. The rabbit smiled sweetly, saying: “Now do you understand? Such is the way of the world! Such is life!” In a short while, the young boy returned with the villagers. A dog that came along spotted the rabbit and started chasing it. The boy screamed at the dog “This rabbit saved my life; don’t attack him”. Alas, before the boy could intervene, the dog had chased and killed the rabbit in a jiffy.
The distressed boy cried and said to himself, “What the crocodile said was true. Such is the way of the world. Such is life!” Unfairness is a part and parcel of life. Such is the way of life. Can we teach ourselves not to be victims of unfairness and face it with the understanding that life’s mysteries cannot be fully understood?
Souce: Speaking Tree - Swami Sukhabodhananda
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
The Promise
'How long will you be reading that newspaper? Will you come here right away and make your darling daughter eat her food?'
I tossed the paper away and rushed to the scene. My only daughter, Sindhu, looked frightened. Tears were welling up in her eyes. In front of her was a bowl filled to its brim with Curd Rice. Sindhu is a nice child, quite intelligent for her age. She has just turned eight. She particularly detested Curd Rice. My mother and my wife are orthodox, and believe firmly in the 'cooling effects' of Curd Rice!
I cleared my throat, and picked up the bowl. "Sindhu, darling, why don't you take a few mouthfuls of this Curd Rice? Just for Dad's sake, dear. And if you don't, your Mom will shout at me' I could sense my wife's scowl behind my back.
Sindhu softened a bit, and wiped her tears with the back of her hands. 'OK, Dad. I will eat - not just a few mouthfuls, but the whole lot of this. But, you should...' Sindhu hesitated. 'Dad, if I eat this entire Curd Rice, will you give me whatever I ask for?'
'Oh sure, darling'.
'Promise?'
'Promise'.
I covered the pink soft hand extended by my daughter with mine, and clinched the deal.
'Ask Mom also to give a similar promise', my daughter insisted. My wife slapped her hand on Sindhu's, muttering 'Promise', without any emotion.
Now I became a bit anxious. 'Sindhumma, you shouldn't insist on getting a computer or any such expensive items. Dad does not have that kind of money right now. OK?'
'No, Dad. I do not want anything expensive'. Slowly and painfully, she finished eating the whole quantity. I was silently angry with my wife and my mother for forcing my child eat something that she detested.
After the ordeal was through, Sindhu came to me with her eyes wide with expectation. All our attention was on her.
'Dad, I want to have my head shaved off this Sunday!' was her demand!
`Atrocious!' shouted my wife, 'a girl child having her head shaved off?
'Impossible!' 'Never in our family!' my mother rasped. 'She has been watching too much of television. Our culture is getting totally spoiled with these TV programs!'
'Sindhumma, why don't you ask for something else? We will be sad seeing you with a clean-shaven head.'
'No, Dad. I do not want anything else', Sindu said with finality.
'Please, Sindhu, why don't you try to understand our feelings?' I tried to plead with her.
'Dad, you saw how difficult it was for me to eat that Curd Rice'. Sindhu was in tears. 'And you promised to grant me whatever I ask for. Now, you are going back on your words. Was it not you who told me the story of King Harishchandra, and its moral that we should honour our promises no matter what?'
It was time for me to call the shots. 'Our promise must be kept.'
'Are you out your mind?' chorused my mother and wife.
'No. If we go back on our promises, she will never learn to honour her own. Sindhu, your wish will be fulfilled.'
With her head clean-shaven, Sindu had a round-face, and her eyes looked big and beautiful.
On Monday morning, I dropped her at her school. It was a sight to watch my hairless Sindhu walking towards her classroom. She turned around and waved. I waved back with a smile.
Just then, a boy alighted from a car, and shouted, 'Sindhuja, please wait for me!'
What struck me was the hairless head of that boy. 'May be, that is the in-stuff', I thought.
'Sir, your daughter Sindhuja is great indeed!' Without introducing herself, a lady got out of the car, and continued, 'That boy who is walking along with your daughter is my son Harish. He is suffering from leukemia.'
She paused to muffle her sobs. 'Harish could not attend the school for the whole of the last month. He lost all his hair due to the side effects of the chemotherapy. He refused to come back to school, fearing the unintentional but cruel teasing of the schoolmates. Sinduja visited him last week, and promised him that she will take care of the teasing issue.
But, I never imagined she would sacrifice her lovely hair for the sake of my son!
'Sir, you and your wife are blessed to have such a noble soul as your daughter.'
I stood transfixed. And then, I wept. 'My little Angel, will you grant me a boon? Should there be another birth for me, will you be my mother, and teach me what Love is?'
Source: From Internet
I tossed the paper away and rushed to the scene. My only daughter, Sindhu, looked frightened. Tears were welling up in her eyes. In front of her was a bowl filled to its brim with Curd Rice. Sindhu is a nice child, quite intelligent for her age. She has just turned eight. She particularly detested Curd Rice. My mother and my wife are orthodox, and believe firmly in the 'cooling effects' of Curd Rice!
I cleared my throat, and picked up the bowl. "Sindhu, darling, why don't you take a few mouthfuls of this Curd Rice? Just for Dad's sake, dear. And if you don't, your Mom will shout at me' I could sense my wife's scowl behind my back.
Sindhu softened a bit, and wiped her tears with the back of her hands. 'OK, Dad. I will eat - not just a few mouthfuls, but the whole lot of this. But, you should...' Sindhu hesitated. 'Dad, if I eat this entire Curd Rice, will you give me whatever I ask for?'
'Oh sure, darling'.
'Promise?'
'Promise'.
I covered the pink soft hand extended by my daughter with mine, and clinched the deal.
'Ask Mom also to give a similar promise', my daughter insisted. My wife slapped her hand on Sindhu's, muttering 'Promise', without any emotion.
Now I became a bit anxious. 'Sindhumma, you shouldn't insist on getting a computer or any such expensive items. Dad does not have that kind of money right now. OK?'
'No, Dad. I do not want anything expensive'. Slowly and painfully, she finished eating the whole quantity. I was silently angry with my wife and my mother for forcing my child eat something that she detested.
After the ordeal was through, Sindhu came to me with her eyes wide with expectation. All our attention was on her.
'Dad, I want to have my head shaved off this Sunday!' was her demand!
`Atrocious!' shouted my wife, 'a girl child having her head shaved off?
'Impossible!' 'Never in our family!' my mother rasped. 'She has been watching too much of television. Our culture is getting totally spoiled with these TV programs!'
'Sindhumma, why don't you ask for something else? We will be sad seeing you with a clean-shaven head.'
'No, Dad. I do not want anything else', Sindu said with finality.
'Please, Sindhu, why don't you try to understand our feelings?' I tried to plead with her.
'Dad, you saw how difficult it was for me to eat that Curd Rice'. Sindhu was in tears. 'And you promised to grant me whatever I ask for. Now, you are going back on your words. Was it not you who told me the story of King Harishchandra, and its moral that we should honour our promises no matter what?'
It was time for me to call the shots. 'Our promise must be kept.'
'Are you out your mind?' chorused my mother and wife.
'No. If we go back on our promises, she will never learn to honour her own. Sindhu, your wish will be fulfilled.'
With her head clean-shaven, Sindu had a round-face, and her eyes looked big and beautiful.
On Monday morning, I dropped her at her school. It was a sight to watch my hairless Sindhu walking towards her classroom. She turned around and waved. I waved back with a smile.
Just then, a boy alighted from a car, and shouted, 'Sindhuja, please wait for me!'
What struck me was the hairless head of that boy. 'May be, that is the in-stuff', I thought.
'Sir, your daughter Sindhuja is great indeed!' Without introducing herself, a lady got out of the car, and continued, 'That boy who is walking along with your daughter is my son Harish. He is suffering from leukemia.'
She paused to muffle her sobs. 'Harish could not attend the school for the whole of the last month. He lost all his hair due to the side effects of the chemotherapy. He refused to come back to school, fearing the unintentional but cruel teasing of the schoolmates. Sinduja visited him last week, and promised him that she will take care of the teasing issue.
But, I never imagined she would sacrifice her lovely hair for the sake of my son!
'Sir, you and your wife are blessed to have such a noble soul as your daughter.'
I stood transfixed. And then, I wept. 'My little Angel, will you grant me a boon? Should there be another birth for me, will you be my mother, and teach me what Love is?'
Source: From Internet
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