randonmusings’s blog

 The dinner time was unusually silent. The evening news on the T.V. played like a background score to the silence and did nothing to heighten or diminish the pain within their hearts or answer the innumerable questions racing through their minds. Yet to each other they pretended to completely sure that nothing can go wrong with their only son. A gradually growing painless lump on his elbow had been operated on and sent for biopsy. The report was expected the next morning.

 Both spent a sleepless night trying desperately not to communicate their fears to each other. Each time she shut her eyes the same images kept replaying in her mind ..her son as she first saw him, the first steps he took, the first time he called out "ma" the ever bubbling, restless child who always kept her on her toes and also how she had to firm and almost harsh to make him open his books and study .

As the darkness melted into light, she was more than eager to get out of bed. After a so-called breakfast, as her husband was leaving to collect the report, was the only moment they let their defenses fall for a short while . But soon he was on his way and she back to her daily routine like a zombie mentally repeating over and over again, " its just my old habit of worrying too much everything's going to be alright"

An hour later  the telephone rang    it was her husband saying that the report said that the growth was benign and everything was okay. For the  first time she let the tears flow through the flood gates of her heart as sat in front of the mandir in  their house .her tears were her “thank you” to God

Later in the evening, after visiting the doctor with the reports, on their way back, her son wanted to go to the ice-cream parlor. Instinctively she reminded him that his class tests were scheduled on Monday, how prone he was to sore throat, how too much sweets will harm his teeth .. But, even before she completed her sentence she broke into a big grin and agreed and soon they were their usual selves chirping away over ice-creams and sodas, teasing each other and laughing together.

The last few days had taught her the most important lessons of her life that life cannot be lived in water-tight compartments or in scoopfuls . The good and the bad, the happy and the sad,the hopes and the fears,our expectations and life’s uncertainties co-exist and have to be accepted together to make life a complete whole. The day had began  laden with unshed tears and suddenly changed into a rainbow colored evening…..this was what life was all about….