LIFE IS NEVER A BED OF ROSES.

A TRUE STORY

As a kid, I used to live in a world of fantasy surrounded by fairies, pixies, elves, and witches. Because of my laidback attitude in the past, I had to suffer a lot. A job loss due to poor health contributed to a considerable dip in my self-confidence. I had lost my interest in life with no specific goal in mind to achieve. My mom decided it was time to have a mother-daughter discussion. We had tea and cookies while she started narrating a heart-wrenching story.

My maternal grandma had a close friend living in the same city, Nagpur. Her name was Shailaja ( name changed). She had a useless son and a daughter who was immobile below the waist. Shailaja was a widow and living on a pittance. She did odd jobs now and then to earn money. Her daughter Radha ( name changed) remained in bed. She depended on her mother for everything. Shailaja was in her sixties and had to work very hard with no respite at her age. She used to leave her daughter alone while going out to work. Her house would smell of feces and urine when she returned home.

Her neighbors complained about the nasty smell and threatened her to leave the area. Shailaja lived in a small hut. Her son had abandoned her and moved on with his life. He ignored her calls and letters seeking financial help. Finally, God took pity on her, and Radha passed away in her sleep. My mother went with her friend to express their condolences. Shailaja’s neighbor performed the last rites because her son refused to turn up. According to the Hindu rituals, only a son can light the funeral pyre and perform the last rites.

Shailaja wanted to spend the rest of her life traveling all over the country and spend some time with her irresponsible son, Raja( name changed). Since Raja kept on ignoring her letters, she sent him a telegram stating that she was coming to stay with him in Mumbai. She also mentioned having ten lakh rupees with her. The mere mention of money did wonders. He came to receive her at Mumbai railway station. He was shocked to find that she was carrying only a couple of bags containing her clothes and food items. When he asked her about the cash, she told him that she was equivalent to ten lakh rupees. A mother is the greatest treasure for her children. As she had arrived in person, what more did he need? Raja was annoyed, and he made her life miserable. She went home with a broken heart.

A couple of days had passed. Her neighbors discovered her corpse after sensing a foul smell. She was dead with flies hovering all over her rotting body. Nobody deserves a death like that. I cried a lot and hugged my mom for comfort.

I learned an important lesson. Problems exist everywhere and for everyone. Only their magnitude differs. We can conquer them with the right attitude and a positive frame of mind.

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