September 9, 2015

• River of Life.

   

  She was kind of an introvert. Lived in her own world of make believe and dreams. Her world revolved around books, class work, and writing. She loved to write. Her greatest dream was to fly out to another world, another continent, crossing the oceans and the mountains. But she always wanted to return to her land. Her niche, and love the people around her and help who ever needed help.

  Things didn’t work out the way she had hoped. Life got in the way. Her mantra was that she should find beauty in the worst of things. The ugly crow when it starts to fly, still makes the same sounds with its wings when they flap up and down, like a dove does.

  She started caring for an orphan. The child was only about eleven years old, and looked so lonely, sitting on the curb one morning when she was going to college. She saw her again in the evening when she was returning home. The child had moved to a bench and was sitting with her legs dangling. She stopped the car and walked up to her.

  “Hi, what is your name, and why are you here alone?”

  “Myin yateem hoon!” (I am an orphan). Mera naam Roopa haii. (My name is Roopa)  She explained that her uncle and aunt had gone to the village to visit relatives and would return the next day.

  There is a fatality about all physical and intellectual distinction. What made her stop at the curb? Why did she talk to this young girl? While her heart beat hard against her ribs, she continued to question the little girl.

  “Have you eaten anything?”

  “Nyin.” (no).

  The eyes were dry but the heart cried, tears of sorrow and frustration and despair. The sounds of the street became silent, and she was lost in the pools of those saucer like eyes that stared at her, challenging her to feed her.

  She took her to her own home, and asked one of the domestic helps to bathe her and feed her. The next day she didn’t go to college, but went instead to the small shack where the Roopa lived with her relatives. This became a routine, day after day, and week after week. The girl blossomed in the stranger’s love and affection. She started attending school and her life changed.

  Roopa brought smiles to her heart, and where there were tears, and a fisting ache in the pit of her chest, there came now, peace and love and a feeling of belonging. She belonged to Roopa as much as Roopa belonged to her. She thought about the river of life and how it changes its course. The river runs through all beings, no matter where one comes from, all over the world. It’s the river of the heart, and the heart’s desire. It’s pure and essential to the changes in one’s life.

  • 11:22 pm
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