Faith

Someone said long time back...faith can move mountains!



I am now thinking and thinking, and it gave birth to a small doubt-is faith any paranormal activity or is it magic? I am no one to question someones faith, but what do I do of the ant-sized doubts thats growing in my mind ?



When mom left me alone in the craddle, I felt trapped into a black hole, I had no choice but to have faith in something...maybe someone...might be even me..that I would be pulled out of it and left in the floor that seemed so limitless to me then. No...that faith did not do anything...



There did not appear any old man in any shredded rags, there did not happen any miracle...not even Dad came to my rescue. It was only when mother finished her chores, she came and pulled me out and embraced me tight to her chest where I could even listen to her heart beats.



Faith...I remember another instance from yesterday!



I then knew how to walk without grabbing any finger. I felt I was so matured. I believed nobody was as strong as me. I was confident. Walking through the small dew droplets beneath my black leather shoes, I headed towards a big strange building that trapped many of my age. Mother called it a school. I never thought I would want to be in my mothers lap so badly as I wanted to be that day.



I entered through the gate and moved towards a room that soon I started calling a classroom. I was all alone. Mother said she would leave and come back in my recess. The bell behind the big hall started ringing. Mother started moving away. With every passing second, she started becoming invisible from my sight. I did not give up. I had something called faith...faith that my mother would come back to me in a second and take me back home. I would have been so happy that day if mother would have tied me to the same craddle. I won't have felt like running away from the black hole that day. Mother did come back...but alas! It was recess!



I remember now how my daddy worked for extra hours to get for me the cycle for my birthday. This time I had faith in him that he would make my dream come true. I started waiting for the next day, it was my birthday. I still celebrate my birthday on the 3rd of December. Faith...finally I would be able to move a mountain...I am referring to my daddy when I say mountain.



It was so cold that night. Mother lit the fire and the smell of dal mixed with oil and garlic filled our home, our sweet home. I moved near mother and she held me tight in her arms and promised me that this birthday would be the best birthday one has ever celebrated. I believed her. Mother, I wanted to tell you then that I felt something was burning inside me. Daddy was outside with his brother, sitting beneath the sky, talking about some property that grandpa left when he died.



Suddenly, the smell of dal was no more, all I could smell was some gas that was burning my lungs. Mother, I remember now, that was the last time I touched you. That was the last time I felt your heartbeat. Mother, that was the last time I opened my eyes. How I wish you could have saved me from the pain I am going through right now!



Mother, I never saw daddy again. Is he fine? Tomorrow is my birthday mother, its been 26 years since that night. It will still be my birthday tomorrow...just that...I am no longer alive…



Why was I the chosen one that night? I wanted to ride the cycle, I wanted to cut the cake...I wanted to see how my friends would have felt after being with me that day....but.....



Someone said long time back...faith can move mountains! But.......







(dedicated to all the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy...who did not get a chance to see their dreams come true)