As I come closer to my
birthplace, random childhood memories kept coming to my mind. For some reason
one picture comes vividly to my mind – school on Saturday! Saturday used to be a
special day for many reasons. School used to start early morning and end well
before noon. The pain of getting up early morning was not felt that sharply as Saturday
used to be a special day when father used to come to drop me to school!
What was so special about that? I
don’t know but as I walked along with him to school, I used to feel that he was
the strongest man in the universe! He used to hold my school bag in just one
hand and it still did not touch the ground! I think this is one of the earliest
memories of my childhood. There is nothing special about it but, it is perhaps
the defining picture of how secure the childhood felt! My story is common and
perhaps every child feels the same way …
Once, my cousin had come to stay
with us. He is around 12 years older to me. At that time he must be around 20
years old. I think he was a regular visitor to gym and had a well-toned body.
When I looked at him, a doubt troubled my mind. Little disturbed, I asked him. “If
there is a wrestling match, between you and Baba (my father), who will win?” He
was little puzzled by the question – after all why would he have a wrestling
match with his maternal uncle (my father)? Looking at my apprehension, he
quickly recovered, smiled and answered, “Of course your father! No doubt about
that!” I still feel the relief that I felt that day – it sounded so
re-assuring!
For some reason this little
incident stayed in my mind. Now when I am grown up, I sincerely appreciate my
cousin’s sensitivity! He was just twenty and could have easily teased me
otherwise. He just ensured that my father remained a hero in my mind ….
If we look around - we can see
many heroes….. Our sweeper who cleans the staircases of our building generally
comes with his little son …. His son always has a pride on his face as his
father manages a big broom and cleans a step in one go! The pride on the little
one’s face is exactly like what I must have had years back looking at my father
…. Everyone around us is a hero …. The problem
is scarcity of wise men like my cousin!!
RESPECT!!!
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