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I wish that everyone who is not at home, is back home soon too. And I will come back to you. When you're back, can we go and see the flamingos Amma?
I wish that everyone who is not at home, is back home soon too. And I will come back to you. When you’re back, can we go and see the flamingos Amma?
Dearest Amma,
I know you are smiling as you read this letter from me after we spoke on the phone a few hours back. Today evening when I was sketching, Manju Aunty brought some lovely sabudana vadas for me and said that I should be proud of you. I wanted you to know that I am very very proud of you. I know we will speak again on the phone tomorrow but I forget many things when I see your face. So, I am writing this letter to you to tell you everything that’s on my mind right now!
Amma, I am proud of you, but I am also a little worried, and I think everyone here is a little scared too. When Thatha and Paati are watching TV, they discuss serious things and Anna and I are gently led to another room to play.
Last week though, I happened to see on the TV, so many sisters like you taking care of unwell people. I realised that you too are doing the same, and that there is something scary about it this time. And I couldn’t sleep that night. Paati then told me a story. Let me tell you Amma.
‘Once Krishna and his older brother Balaram were walking through a dense forest. Suddenly a very big rakshasa appeared before them. Balaram was very scared and asked in a trembling voice, “Who are you?”
The rakshasa laughed and bellowed,
“Ahahaahaha, I am your fear”.
Hearing this, Balaram was even scared and the rakshasa grew bigger. He stood like a tall, huge mountain in front of Balaram. Balaram fainted in fear.
The rakshasa, then, turned to Krishna who was playing his flute and roared, “Look at me, I am your fear!”
Krishna smiled as he looked at the rakshasa and continued playing his flute. The rakshasa became smaller and smaller and smaller. Now, the rakshasa was almost the size of an ant. Krishna picked him up and put him in his pocket, and woke his brother Balaram up and showed him the little rakshasa.‘
I think Krishna must have kept the little rakshasa to remind himself to be brave. I am sure you are carrying a little rakshasa in your pocket and it’s really tiny.
Anna tells me that every time we act brave, the ‘courage’ part of our brain becomes more and more stronger. I told you I want to be a gymnast. And now I realize that along with making our body strong, we also need to make our mind strong.
Amma, there are also some wonderful things happening around us. Yes Ma, I read in the newspaper, that thousands of flamingos have come to Mumbai. Looks like a beautiful carpet of pink on the blue lake.
Anna explained that many birds and animals are roaming carefree, now that people are home. I am happy they are free, but I am sad that they can’t be with us – all of us, free and happy together, caring for each other.
And I hope everyone who is sick feels good soon. I wish that everyone who is not at home, is back home soon too. And I will come back soon to you. Can we go and see the flamingos Amma? Or would they also have returned to their homes from where they’ve come? Whatever makes them happy. I love birds, When I grow up I want to study birds too.
Love and kisses,
Akku
First published at Pratham Books’ Storyweaver platform. (The platform’s objective is to build free story repository to the children in India with no access to reading material)
Picture credits: Pexels
Ramya is exploring the strength of stories, with a belief that stories help us learn and grow and motivate us to live joyous and more fulfilled lives. She is working on a platform of stories read more...
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Neena was the sole caregiver of Amma and though one would think that Amma was dependent on her, Neena felt otherwise.
Neena inhaled the aroma that emanated from the pan and took a deep breath. The aroma of cumin interspersed with butter transported her back to the modest kitchen in her native village. She could picture her father standing in the kitchen wearing his white crisp kurta as he made delectable concoctions for his only daughter.
Neena grew up in a home where both her parents worked together in tandem to keep the house up and running. She had a blissful childhood in her modest two-room house. The house was small but every nook and cranny gave her memories of a lifetime. Neena’s young heart imagined that her life would follow the same cheerful course. But how wrong she was!
When she was sixteen, the catastrophic clutches of destiny snatched away her parents. They passed away in a road accident and Neena was devastated. Relatives thronged her now gloomy house and soon it was decided that she should be married off.
Menopause is a reality in women's lives, so Indian workplaces need to gear up and address women's menopausal needs.
Picture this: A seasoned executive at the peak of her career suddenly grapples with hot flashes and sleep disturbances during important meetings. She also battles mood swings and cognitive changes, affecting her productivity and confidence. Eventually, she resigns from her job.
Fiction? Not really. The scenario above is a reality many women face as they navigate menopause while meeting their work responsibilities.
Menopause is the time when a woman stops menstruating. This natural condition marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years. The transition brings unique physical, emotional, and psychological changes for women.
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