No dearth of love
No dearth of care
No dearth of affection
children and grand children, though vie
with one another
to attend to her all needs
the old lady always feels like
a fish out of water
from the very day
she bid adieu to ancestral home
where she spent a major part of her life
with her better-half and children.
Then only she learned
the definition of
peace, tranquility and
delight and satisfaction.
Time never stands still
with the flow of time
changes naturally affected her life
his life and
children’s life.
She and her better-half
grew old
children married off
and got separated
one by one
each with his/her spouse
settled in different cities.
At last the old lady
and the old man left at home
both spent recalling their old days
the golden days and gradually
they learnt to live with
gnawing loneliness
still keeping happy
as her better-half
like a shadow was always with her.
But one day, like double whammy
unexpectedly, unpredictably
her better-half left to his heavenly abode
leaving her alone.
The children came
weeping all the way
and tried to console her,
the aged lady
still felt a void in her life
she couldn’t come to
terms with herself
and felt like he is always with her
he is everywhere
in the home and its premises.
He always visited her
in her dreams
which she mistook for real
that much harmony
existed between them throughout.
Children were unwilling
to leave the aged-lady alone
such an eventuality
was quite unthinkable to them.
All of them met
while she was in bed
recalling the precious
moments with him
heaving deep sighs frequently.
Children decided
let mother spend
alternately at each one’s house
each wanted her to be
happy always
each wanted her to be
satisfied with her life wherever she was.
Children’s decision was final.
Caressing her,
embracing her, consoling her
and they opened their
hearts to her,
her heart skipped a beat
she felt a lump in her throat
leaving him alone how could she
leave the home?
She felt helpless
She knew the predicament of her children
Still……?
How could she leave him alone at home
he is alive and he is always with her
how could she leave him alone?
She saw his tearful eyes
she saw him leaning against the wall helplessly
watching her leaving him alone
she saw him waving his hands at her
and in a split-second
he vanished from her sight.
Tears ran down her wrinkled face
children consoled her
she looked back once more
her home like an orphan
seemed to be shedding tears
her daughter helped her
to enter the car
each one by one
waved to her
all in tears
the car started moving
she sat with closed eyes…
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