A wish…

I remember being born on a bright sunny day, with the scent of flowers all around me. Cared for by the gentlest hands, I would dream of a day when all this tweaking and tending would come to fruition and I would be a sight to behold… more beautiful than I had ever been in my life.

It was February the 14th. I thought today would be the day. I would be making someone’s heart flutter today and I would finally know how that adoration feels with that special gaze upon me. And I waited. Full of anticipation.

Then I saw a sweet little girl pointing towards me. She liked me and must take me to her father. No, her father couldn’t come himself.

We went together to the girl’s home. She offered me to her father with the help of her mother and they both burst into proud tears. They lit a lamp in front of his picture, prayed and left, hugging each other tightly.

I looked at the lamp. Together we smiled. We had limited time left to live, but we both felt fulfilled. As the lamp died down and my petals wilted I sent a grateful thanks to God that I had been chosen to honor this soldier by his own family. What more could I ask for? I closed my eyes and went to eternal sleep.

PS:

⁃ The Pulwama attack on Indian soldiers through a suicide bomber happened on Feb 14, 2019 in which 40 unsuspecting soldiers died.

⁃ ‘Pushp ki Abhilasha’ – a poem, written by Makhanlal Chaturvedi (1889-1968), describes the wish of a flower to grace the path of brave soldiers and not be used simply for decorations. My rose above did anticipate the usual romantic adoration (nothing wrong with that… the living must love too!), but was grateful to find being placed as an offering to a valiant deceased fighter instead.