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T is for Trying

I stood there, adamant, tears of frustration in my eyes. For days now I have been locked up alone with this woman. Day after day she pushes me, forces me – to see, to listen. ‘I CANNOT’, I want to scream. Try as I might I cannot. I cannot be part of this world. I have not been a part of this world ever since I remember. This woman refuses to believe, to understand.. How does one see without eyes? Listen without hearing? ‘You will’, says she.. ‘I cannot’, say I.

We stand in an impasse.. Both angry, both frustrated, both determined.

Suddenly I feel something cold sloshing on my hand. She takes my palm. W.A. T. E. R. She writes with her finger. Water.. That cold thing on my hand is ‘water’. ‘Water’ I repeat in my head tentatively.. Water – that deliciously cool thing sloshing on my hand is water. And I’ve learnt a word.. Water. Jubilant, thrilled, excited I run to the ground thumping it with my hand. My teacher takes my hand gently and writes G.R.O.U.N.D. Ground. Another word! Then another and another and another. I am delirious with joy running around, feeling things, making her write them out, trying them out in my head, tasting them on my tongue… I am alive, finally. I am part of this world after all.

A scene from the film The Miracle Worker on Helen Keller’s life

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Note: That is an imaginary recreation of an interaction between Helen Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan – two of the bravest, most inspiring women ever. For days Ann had been struggling to make Helen relate objects with words and failing. She asked for both of them to be left alone in a cottage where she continued her struggle with Helen. Finally, that day she made a breakthrough. Helen learnt 30 new words by the time the day was through and never looked back.

Linking to ABC Wednesday.

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S is for the Sparrow

As kids we lived in the crowded old city area. Despite the closely packed houses, we were used to waking up to the sound of chirping of birds. In the middle of our house was a courtyard with a Madhumalati creeper that reached up to the terrace. The tree was home to scores of sparrows.

To my extreme regret we never truly cherished those tiny cheerful chirpy beings. We would climb up to the terrace to look at their nests and we’d watch the babies learn to fly. We’d watch them fight (oh they were noisy) and cuddle and hop around fearlessly. Yet, they were so much a part of our lives they were barely a reason for much excitement.

By the 90s I’d moved out of my hometown but the sparrows remained a part of my life. I remember a friend came visiting form Chennai and was amazed to see them in our tiny balcony. ‘Look sparrows,’ she remarked awed. And I thought, ‘Yeah sparrows’, so big deal.

And then, I don’t know exactly when, I stopped seeing them around. Isn’t it strange how, over the years, we completely forget things that were once so much a part of our lives? Here in my new city we see more pigeons and mynas.. strutting, nesting, messy, aggressive and intrusive. (However, I’m not sure I wouldn’t miss them if I ever move away.) 

Last year (2012) I came across the Citizen Sparrow project launched by the Bombay Natural  History Society. The project invited citizens from all over India to document the presence or absence of sparrows in their area. The findings reported a decline in the sparrow population all over the country. To know more about the project click here. Worse still Google tells me the bird is disappearing all over the world, significantly in Britain and across Europe.

If you’re wondering why we should do our bit to save the sparrow read this excerpt from an interview I found at Rediff…

‘Mao Zedong blamed rats, flies, mosquitoes and sparrows for the failure of the 1957 grain harvest.
Mao ordered the massacre of 1.96 billion sparrows between March and November 1958, despite the objection of experts that sparrows were in fact the major defence of the grain fields against insects.
The killing culminated on December 13, 1958, when Shanghai residents reportedly destroyed 194,432 sparrows.
Like the sparrow extermination order issued by a Prussian ruler in the late 18th century, Mao’s sparrow-killing campaign had two serious consequences. First, insects destroyed more of the grain harvest than ever in 1959. Second, a generation of the Chinese youth internalised violence against the weak and defenceless as an acceptable behaviour in the name of serving the interest of “the people.”
The policy-induced famine of 1960-1962 killed 40 million Chinese.’
I didn’t contribute to the project, however I did start noticing and looking out for the birds. Isn’t it a wonder how they seem to actually like being around us humans, yet in such a non-aggressive way? Each morning when I’m wheeling out my scooter their happy exuberance makes me smile and I’m grateful for their cheery presence.

If you would like to do your bit and adopt a sparrow nest box click here.

Picture Courtesy: Pixabay

Linking to ABC Wednesday

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An unsent letter

Dear M,

This letter has been pending long enough. People say one shouldn’t let negative feelings fester, that they need to be aired for a new start. Well so here I am.

You were once my best friend. All through my early years at school you held my hand. Each time I found the world scary and confusing, or felt insecure and inept I just had to spend some time with you and I’d feel my confidence returning. When I was with you I forgot to be scared for you spelt all that was familiar and fun. We had the best of times. Remember those lazy winter days when we’d put on Beatles and rock together? Oh those were the happiest times of my life.

I depended on you, so very much, for years together and you were always there.

Thanks to you I sailed through my class 10 with a super score.

Then came class 11 and things changed. Our friendship soured. It might have had to do something with the change of Boards. Besides, Junior College held loads of distractions and I might not have contributed enough to our relationship. I agree part of it was my fault. However once I came to my senses I tried, tried really hard to salvage our relationship. Do you remember those long sad hours when I’d sit with you trying to figure you out? But you made no attempt to mend fences. Cold and distant you locked me out completely.

Graduation was pure drudgery. I made other friends but your place remained vacant. My grades suffered but that wasn’t of consequence. I missed you. Sorely. Then that day when the teacher was giving me a talking to, there you were – not even attempting to hide your smile. How cruel was that! That day you broke my heart.

When I stepped into the corporate world you were always around but I made sure I kept a distance. I skipped lines, gave up finance for marketing, then marketing for journalism trying to find a place where I would never ever meet you.

Since then we’ve met occasionally. I bump into you at the grocers or at the vegetable vendor’s stall and we pass each other by with a cursory nod.

Over the last few years I’ve seen the twins interacting with you and I see a bond forming. We might not be friends any longer but I see you reciprocating their tentative offers of friendship. You know I’m a sucker for happy endings and in this beginning I see our happy ending. Through the twins maybe we’ll be friends again.

Dear Mathematics..I do miss you still.

Love,
OM

This letter is part of the Write Tribe’s initiative. This week we are writing letters to
The person who caused you a lot of pain / Some one you wish you could forgive.
For more fun and interesting letters click Write Tribe Letters Unsent

 

 

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A new beginning

You’re the hottest marketing executive on the block. Mass –
niche, dynamic – static, demand – supply, it’s all right up your alley.
So, you think you know it all.
Then along comes a new market – nascent, unexplored. Two tiny clients. Just two? Yeah, I can handle this, you think.
But this time it’s different. This market’s fickel. Today it
demands rattles, tomorrow bats and Barbies, then playstations. Today it’s
milk, tomorrow porridge, then burgers. 
Growing, changing, constantly evolving. A step ahead, always.
Exhausting, 
Exciting,
Endearing, 
Addictive.

Then you realise your clients are giving you more than they ever demanded. And you’re hooked.

Linking to 100 words on Saturday

The prompt for the week is 

So, you think you know it all

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