Naive kids and profound lessons
A forlorn mom is taught to let go by a little toddler playing with a balloon
Seema gazed deep into the waves lashing the rocky beach. A week back, she had kissed farewell to her 22-year-old son Anay as he embarked on his higher education journey outside the country. It was a heart wrenching few months for Seema as she wrestled with the reality of an empty home.
The 52-year-old mother had devoted her entire parenting life to ensure Anay got the best upbringing and now that he was gone, she felt a huge vacuum and struggled to come to terms to it. She often sat by the sea promenade to soak in the sea breeze and crashing waves as they soothed her aching heart.
Today was another of such evenings. Sun was setting steadily, the waves were rhythmically crashing into the rocks, walkers and joggers were busy with their routines, while Seema looked forlorn into the sea - listening to her favorite songs from the 60s Bollywood era.
Suddenly her gaze fell onto a little girl and her father. The toddler was holding her father’s hand and looking around at the street-sellers with balloons, snacks and small toys. The father looked weary after a hard day’s labor – face darkened with dust, clothes muddied and torn in corners.
As the father-daughter duo walked on the promenade, the little girl caught sight of a balloon seller and she tugged at her father’s pants.
Seema gauged that the toddler must be wanting a balloon. The father seemed to dissuade the girl and distract her with something in the sky. The girl was fixated on the balloon and was not one to give up.
She remembered the toddler days of Anay and how he insisted on getting a balloon every time they came to this promenade. Stubborn little puppy he was!
In a flash, a visual of her own childhood flashed before her eyes. She too, was equally stubborn about getting cotton candy whenever her parents took her to the local town fair. The times were hard back then, but her doting father made it a point to get that pink delicacy for his daughter, often skipping something for himself. A lump formed in her throat and as her gaze veered back to reality, she swallowed it.
By now, the little girl had started throwing tantrums. Giving in, the father first checked his pockets for money and mustered his will to walk to the balloon seller to buy a red balloon for his little angel.
As the father handed the balloon to the little girl, her frown turned into a smile and then glee. She pranced around with that balloon, showing it to the prying eyes of other kids around.
Seema remembered her town fair days when she used to gobble up the cotton candy within minutes and then hug her father tightly – her way of being grateful. But then sheepishly she would ask for one more. Mostly, she would be turned down.
On rare occasions, with cousins around, she would manage to get one more. Seema felt a deep connection with that little girl as if she had time travelled back to her past.
While playing, the little girl stopped for a moment and noticed the pigeons taking off from the walkway and soaring into the sky. She stood still and seemed to ponder on something.
Seema too wondered what the girl was thinking. Did she want something else now?
All of a sudden, the girl let the balloon go and it waved around in the wind. Her father noticed it and tried to catch it helplessly. But the sea breeze was strong and within seconds, the balloon took flight and was out of anyone’s grasp.
Seema too was startled and realized the girl had just lost what she craved for. Her father might get angry and scold her.
To everyone’s surprise, the girl clapped her hands with joy to see the balloon soar into the sky and fly away like the pigeons.
The girl, who wanted to hold the balloon in her hand, was now happier to let it go.
Startled, anxious and now settled – Seema felt a wave of emotions crash onto her mind. She felt a sudden lightness filling her heart. There was no other voice in her head, only the crashing of the waves onto the rocky beach.
The wail of the weaning mother, the tug of loneliness, the fear of uncertainty seemed to fly away just like the balloon and pigeons.
Her life had been tied around Anay for far too long. While she found comfort and satisfaction in the sacrifices she made, it was time to let him go. It was time for her to let go of herself.
As Anay suffered from mild asthma, the family had stopped eating cold food items. It had been years since she had tasted even a scoop of ice-cream.
She looked around and noticed a Kulfi seller pass by. She called out and got herself a Mango kulfi and savored it to her heart’s content.
She was alone, not lonely that evening.
She felt light like that balloon.
She felt the same sense of joy the girl felt when she let go….
Amazing