Tears for a mother...

Today morning I went to a Private Nursing Home.. One of my Sister in law was undergoing a minor operation there.. My cousin and his 6 yrs old child (my niece) were waiting outside the operation theatre. After the operation was over, my cousin was called inside to complete the formalities..

Normally I've to "bribe" for the company of this niece, but today she crawled into my lap on her own.. Then after sometime I felt a drop of water on my fingers.... I got my answer by looking at her wet eyes.. She was silently crying..

I asked her, "What happened Maaina?"

She replied, "Maa thike asene?" (Is maa alright?)

I patted her back and said, "Yes, she is doing fine.."

You know.. When a child cries, sometimes I feel funny, sometimes sad, sometimes sympathetic, sometimes irritating and so on.. But when a child cries silently, that too for her mother's well being, that feeling is just wordless.. And precisely heavy enough to wet my heart...

A cute conversation...

Yesterday I was talking to a child patient at my clinic.. This is for the 3rd time that I've met her along with her mother and as such she is quite friendly with me.. She is a student of 3rd Standard and the way she talks, you won't have any other option, but to love her.. I asked her about her school ..

She replied, "Actually Sir, school is closed these days on the occasion of Bihu.. But will reopen from 22nd.."

I said, "Okay... then I'll also attend your school from 22nd.."

She asked me, "Will you be there to teach us something?"

"No, I'll be there to study with you..."

She remained thoughtful for a moment and then replied with a cute smile,

"One problem might be there .. Most probably they (teachers) won't allow you to join my class.. You are somewhat older you know... But you may join my brother.. He is in class 10..."

I couldn't say anything more.. I just smiled and lightly pecked her cheeks..

You know.. Thats the beauty of a conversation with a child... I agree, age never hinders study.. Yet, only a kid can so innocently say that I can still study in the same classroom along with the 15 year olds.. :-):-):-)

Child marriage by choice?!!!

This Saturday I met a young boy of around 20 yrs who came to donate
blood.. But do you know for whom he was donating? It was for his
mother in law!!! I once again checked at the donor form.. Its clearly
written, he is just 21. Being 21, he can obviously marry, but
personally I don't like this idea.. Anyway he married last year!!!

Then out of my curiosity I enquired about the age of his wife.. His reply was,

"16 or 17"

"Where was she studying at the time of marriage?"

"at class-IX. Its a love marriage Sir.. You can't take the risk !!!!"

That was his justification.. I didn't take much of his time by
clearing my doubts regarding "the risk" and all and allowed him to
proceed for the next step of blood donation.. Moreover this is not the
single case.. Already I've met a no. of married girls who seem to be
too young to get married !!!

Now coming to the main point, what will you term this? A child
marriage? That too by choice? At this young age both of them married
at their own will(!) even though both were legally underage.. Probably
parents from both sides have already accepted this relationship.. No
doubt.. the parents are actually left with not much of other choices..

Most of these marriages are result of the misleading teenage emotions
and mistakes due to lack of proper guidance and care and sometimes
even because of the eagerness of some of these parents to get rid of
their responsibilities to marry off their girl child.. Whatever may be
the reason, these can never be accepted.. By today or tomorrow most of
these teenage couples would invariably repent.. But till then usually
it becomes too late and they reach a point of no turning back..

So, leaving aside the legal issues or the other discussions on what
the harms and misfortunes a child marriage brings to a family, I would
just say that no matter how much we care, these trends are actually
happening in today's society and as the responsible citizens, we are
just acting as the silent spectators.. Nothing else !!!

Tall, dark and handsome !!!

That day one of my cousin told me,

"You know bro, all men are dogs.. But Pranamee bou needn't worry.. She should feel safe.."

I was delighted.. After all its a nice compliment.. At least somebody is there, who is sure that I bear a good character...

He again said with a silly smile, "Don't be that much glad.. I am not pointing towards your character.. "

I asked, "Then what?"

He replied, "You know, somebody rightly said that a guy must be tall, dark and handsome.. Ok, what's your height?"

I could easily assume what he was upto.. Actually this prank was not new to me...

Yet I replied, "5'9".."

"Yeah, you are 5'9", means you are definitely tall.. Coming to the 2nd criteria.. Congrats, You've made it.. you are obviously dark.. But alas... You don't fulfill the 3rd criteria !!!! Thats why Pranamee bou should feel safe.."

I don't know why.. But anyway I couldn't deny him anymore.. And laughed to my heart's content :-):-):-)

Praise that makes me feel helpless!!!

Yesterday I met a cute little girl.. She is otherwise a normal kid, exception being that she has to care about something what most other kids of her age are least bothered about.. She is merely 8 years old and a Thalassemia patient.. Tell me.. How many of us do know about our hemoglobin level? Ask her, and she'll promptly reply.. She doesn't know what actually Hemoglobin means... But she knows it for sure that once her hemoglobin level drops below certain level, she'll have to be transfused blood once again.. Anyway, she needs blood transfusion every month.. And mind you, its a necessity not just for her well being, but for her survival!!!

Her mother comes to blood bank every month to get blood issued for her daughter and thus I've already met her mother for several times and thus helped her occasionally in getting the blood units.. And yesterday when the mother introduced me to the child telling her with an emotional expression that she (the child) is still alive just because of us, I rather felt uneasy.. You know.. Such a praise doesn't enlighten me, rather make me feel helpless.. Make me feel the pain they always carry!!!

Childhood refreshed..!!

Few days back in the afternoon when I called my younger sister, She was about to take a nap as her baby was asleep.. Around 15 mins after disconnecting her call, I felt like a naughty child once again and I again called her..

"Hello Baba !!"...

From her drowsy voice it could be clearly understood that I've definitely accomplished my aim to disturb her sleep.. And it provided me ultimate pleasure..

I replied, "Actually Tutu... I wanted to enquire whether you could sleep well or not..!!!" and we both just laughed and laughed.. :-) What if even for a moment, but this little act refreshed my childhood once again..

You know... Like most of you who have atleast even one sibling or cousin to grow up together, my whole childhood was filled by the charming presence of my younger brother and sister.. We played, studied and did fight with each other over chilly things.. Actually we did everything together.. But now that we have grown up, we all have own personal and and job related responsibilities and now the situation is such that we can't even meet each other regularly.... This is life and we'll have to carry on... But these sweet memories will be cherished ever and ever again and these will always remain integral parts of our life !!! And hopefully our next generation will also enjoy the same !!!

Kids: help bridging the gap..

That day we were returning from Manali to New Delhi by a Volvo bus. Around 45 passengers were there and at least 6 nos of kids in the age group of 2 to 4 years were accompanying different passengers at different seats.. It was for the first time for me to travel in a bus having so many little kids.. Ok, for initial 2-3 hrs nothing happened.. We adults were busy amongst ourselves and some of the parents were bothered by some of the kids.. Then all of a sudden the scenario changed... First of all two kids from my front 4 seats started to interact with each other in their own(!) language.. They just shouted and laughed and laughed.. Then one kid from my back seat joined them.. Gradually all the kids started communicating and laughing.. To make it easier, most of them stood on the seats or on their parent's lap.. And you know, it was proved once again that laughing is really contagious.. We adults also joined them.. We couldn't control ourselves.. The kids laughed and we also just laughed without any reason.. The situation became so pleasant that it won't be possible for me to express it properly in words.. Its because of these little kids that we, the adults, even if for a moment, could interact with each other without any verbal conversations..

Really these little angels can befriend with anybody in no time and even easily bridge the gap amongst adults...

Helping attitude and the presentation..

That day after returning from Moradabad to Guwahati by train I went to my younger sister's place.. My brother in law asked me to stay there overnight. I readily agreed and planned to attend my duties today directly from their place.. Dinner was somewhat late.. After dinner all of us were going through the photographs and videos of my trip..

At around 1 am, one patient called me at my cellphone.. Actually he asked me for some favour around 1 hour back, for which I asked him to ring me up once he reaches the hospital.. Ok, without revealing much details I would just say that although I tried to help him over phone by talking to the on duty doctors and other staffs present at that moment, I couldn't solve his problem completely.

I felt sorry for him and said, "I am extremely sorry, but may be you're not that much lucky tonight!!"

He replied, "No sir, its ok.. Actually I am sorry to disturb you at this odd hours of midnight.. And thanks a lot that you tried!!"

After the call was disconnected, my younger sister told me, "Look Baba, its good that you tried to help that person.. And even he would be grateful to you for that.. But you know, that person is anyway unlucky to have attended a hospital at this hour.. So instead of telling him 'May be you are not that much lucky tonight', if you would have said like 'May be I am not that much lucky to help you out tonight', then it would have been more pleasant to his ears.. Its not necessary to remind him once again that he is already unlucky!!!"

Her explanation made me to rethink..

Its true that helping attitude and  politeness matter a lot, but slightly improvised modification in the presentation would really work even better and is indeed quite important to remember!!!