Little Woman

She has the look of an emaciated child woman. Carrying her load of bundles full of clothes, she stutters along the street, gaunt and pale. Yet the smile on her lips belies her physical state. There is still that twinkle in her eyes - a reminiscent of her former self.

She walks up the two floors to my apartment, out of breath and paler for the effort. As I open the door, the shock that may have registered on my face on seeing her, clouds her own. Then she smiled. I smiled back and asked her to come in. She struggles with her shoes and I tell her to leave them on. She is here on on old errand - I ask her how is that she is back. She tells me that the doctors at the hospital told her she can go home so here she was. She may have to go back again but for now she feels fine, she says. I struggle to keep my tears in check and giver her my clothes for ironing. She counts them one by one and slyly asks for her Diwali gift. I give her a mock stare and then give in :))

As she turns to go I ask her when will I see her again. She smiles - It was only cancer. Now I am fine, she says. I will be back. Matter of fact - just like that. I am shaken by her calm, matter of fact statement. As she jumps down the stairs I call out to her to remind that I want to see her grades for the session. She nods, smiles and then laughs. I was away from school the whole year, remember? That smile again...

She leaves me wondering if I could ever find that strength to deal with such pain in such a no nonsense manner. My grandmom would have said, this is God talking to me - showing the colours of life on this earth and how it is to never give up on the face of adversity.



Colours of life....

She is more than just an ordinary child for me. She has been a face that reminds me of another..someone close ..who once was and is now lost. The little girl is all of eleven years old - the other would have been eleven now.