Uncertainty
Occupying
a corner of a pink walled room, a little girl aged fourteen was busy in turning
over the pages of an album to recollect the memories of her past. She made
herself so indulged in viewing the photographs that the noise of the surrounding
could not affect her. She got completely lost in that album. What did the album
comprise of? Starting from the very first photograph, holding a golden cup and
the action of applaud of the audience. Next to this was the photograph, very
much close to her heart because she managed to grab first prize in badminton
singles in interschool competitions after beating around 20 schools in the
city. Indeed a great achievement for this young girl. Now onwards the photos of
accomplishments and holding cups and shields of various sizes and shapes never
ceased. She had made her school and parents proud by winning various prizes in
badminton under eighteen in state and national level. As she kept on turning
over the pages of the album, her face turned gloomy and pale. The charm that
her face projected initially, started fading up. Droplets of tears rolled down
from her small eyes to her lips. But, isn’t it strange for one to think that
how can one become sad suddenly seeing the photographs of her winning prizes??
The
environment at home was full of positivity and energy because of the arrival of festive season. Lots
of relatives had assembled to celebrate HOLI; a festival of colours. Mom and
Dad were busy in attending relatives and spending time with them. Generally
when all cousins and relatives gather in
any function in a family, there is an environment of joy and happiness. The
smell of various delicacies would make one salivate. New dresses, unique
decorations and above all get –together of many relatives who had not been in
touch for so many years, would wipe out all the miseries and pains, if present.
In fact, festivals are meant to rejuvenate oneself and create a space to make
merry. The noise of calling out each
other’s names and teasing, singing songs, dancing, playing video games by
switching on television set at high volume could be identified very
distinctively. This happened only when the rooms are occupied by children of
different age groups. Children do not prefer interference of elders in their
activities. So, they had made themselves isolated from the elders and busy in
their respective works. Girls of younger age prepared some decorative stuffs to
cover up the walls of bedrooms and drawing rooms.
Unconsciously
father entered the room of the house where his daughter was sitting silently
and weeping, holding an album comprising of her old memories oblivious to the
outside world. On seeing her in this state, he suddenly moved his hands over
her head and asked impatiently, “What has happened dear? Why are you crying??”
She
wiped out her tears instantly and handed the album to her dad. She was silent
and felt reluctant to reply his question.
“Ohk,
this is the matter. I can very well guess that my child. Just forget it and get
mixed up with your cousins and they were just calling out your name from your
study room.” Dad wanted her to forget the past and the past had nothing to do
with the present as well as future. He wanted her daughter to enjoy the moment
of festival.
“But,
after three days, there is going to be a badminton match for singles and …………”.
She paused and stared her dad who was keenly watching her saying so.
“You
have practiced very well and what is a big deal in it?? I am confident that you
will qualify to the next rounds as earlier.” Dad assured her and hoped that she
would feel relieved. Generally she became tensed very often but this time the
reason was different.
But
these words did not drive away her tension completely and still a wave of fear and
insecurity drenched her.
“Dad, I
am going to play exactly after two years. I am nervous than before. You also
know that why am feeling so. When I saw those photographs, I could not resist
myself from crying because I can very well recollect the memories associated
with the past which is never going to let me in peace. God, why only me??” She
said impatiently and her face looked worried and turned pale. She felt pathetic
and miserable.
About
two years ago, she went to Nanital and Massorie for spending her summer
vacation. Nanital and Massorie can be regarded as the most attractive tourist
place for summer with lots of lakes and amazing spots to visit. Unaware of the adversity, she moved on. The
journey with family members, friends and relatives rocked unlike any other.
They had already booked rooms of guest house. She prepared a long list of the
things to be purchased ( accessories, wall paintings, new dresses and many more).
It was quite evident that one day would never be sufficient to purchase lots of
these stuffs. First day went fantastic with lots of shopping stuffs for her. On
the second day, family hired a Bolero to go on a trip to nearby spots.
Unfortunately, the vehicle collided with a truck, as the driver unable to control
the direction and disastrously they met with an accident. She was the one
sitting extreme right, wheels of the truck crushed her right leg.
The
journey changed her life drastically; from a perfect girl, to a disable one.
This was how, everything swayed. No one knew that something unprecedented like
this would occur. Life always takes test and moulds an individual to a
different one in the end. This is the meaning of real challenge. Life is
totally unpredictable. One has to bear the consequences; whether good or bad.
Even
if, she got artificial limb implanted, still she became mentally disturbed for
few months. She started losing interest in her life and preferred making
herself isolated from her friends. The very thought of ‘being disable’
transformed her into a dull and lifeless girl unlike the one with full of
energy and enthusiasm. She accepted the tragedy of life so easily, thinking
that she had no control over it. But, if one door is closed by God, other gets
opened up. Sometimes adverse conditions are created by God to prepare one for
the better life and a glorious future which can only be sensed after the dark
period is over. There is a need to be calm in such a situation to handle it. In
the end, one can realize the positive impact imprinted on mind and soul. Now,
getting started up with playing badminton again was the obstacle she had to
overcome. The most daring task for her; a game against her body and will.
One
should always be grateful to the environment one lives in because there will
always be someone who takes care of you all the time, they may be parents,
friends, well wishers or admirers. In
worst condition of life, they are the one to embrace you and never let you down
in any way.
Dad
would never like to see his daughter in a state of dilemma and trauma. He encouraged
her to start playing badminton once again. By giving examples of various
personalities in the world, he wanted to make her realize that it was not
always she who faced such a situation. He motivated the best ever way he could.
And finally he succeeded. She rose up once again to combat with her disability
which was uncertain. She took up the sports heartily once again and with all
her determination and hard work, she came up with flying colours. She practiced
three hours daily to build up patience and endurance. Apart from the support of
her father, the badminton coach also helped a lot in boosting up the confidence
level. He acted as a motivator, true mentor and most importantly, a friend.
To make
the surrounding light, dad deviated her from the past and said, “For you, your
mom has prepared Gulab Jamun, all your favorite stuffs have been cooked. Just
go and taste those, quick.”
She
glanced at his father and nodded her head but was not in a perfect mood to
taste all those delicacies, still trapped in the thoughts of her miseries,
unable to come to the present. She glued to her album.
Dad
snatched the album from her hand and tried to console her,“ What ever happened,
has got nothing to do with your present and future. I think, one should never
clutch the past rather concentrate on present
and just relax. Your are an iron willed girl and my child never fails in any
way. Wait and watch, something will happen in your favour this time, leave
everything aside.” On hearing such words, she hugged him tightly.
Pin drop silence for few
minutes…….
Soft music
of piano spread melody in air. Slowly this music, broke silence of the dense
environment. It matched with the original one. The notes of Beethoven’s Fur Elise, elapsed all her
tension and elevated her soul. She ran towards the guest room to see who was
playing those notes so flawlessly.
Yes, it
was the old black piano, covered up, standing still in one corner of the guest
room for about last two years. To make her happy, dad used to play those black
and white keys. After the happening of the unfortunate incident, he had also lost
all his interest. It stood still there without the player for a long period of
time. And exactly after two years, he found Ryan(the eldest of all cousins)
moving his hands over the keys brilliantly, creating the same hypnotic effect.
So soothing……..Worth listening………She pulled out a chair and sat beside him
noticing him playing so.
Music has got a magical effect
to heal one’s pain and suffering instantly. Those few minutes of hearing proved
to be a powerful alternative to forget that dark past.
3 days passed……The day of
badminton match
She
reported at the spot where the match was scheduled to be commenced. This time a
lot of friends, teachers and relatives gathered to cheer her up. She held the
badminton racquet tightly, closed her eyes and murmured something, looked to
the right side of the audience where her parents sat. A sound of ‘all the best’
and ‘rock the game’ echoed. Dad waved his hand from the crowd to wish her good luck
which she noticed, standing at a distance.
The
game began, initially the speed of cork was slow, later it attained a great
speed. She smashed the cork hard all the time and the opponent found it hard to
lift it up. Sometimes cork hit the net and sometimes out of the line for the
opponent. It was clear that the match was out of control for the opponent. She
won the two sets quite easily. Crowd shouted loudly and her name floated in air
for some time. Dad ran from the crowd to embrace her and he patted her back. She
did what she ought to and got qualified for the next round. All the relatives,
friends, teachers congratulated her. She won the first game against her disability.
Mom became emotional and tears of happiness rolled from her eyes. This was the
real Holi for her: a festival to spread colours to life.
SWETA SARANGI
28.2.2014
