Woven - an Arshi TS

Woven - Part 2

Once again Neena_writes, thank you very much! ❤️

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Lucknow, a few years ago...

The kids at Sanskriti School were enjoying their lunch break. Behind the school building was a playground which was surrounded by lawn and flowery bushes. Having a really big playground, the kids would happily run around everywhere, chasing each other, laughing and having a gala time. To an outsider, this was a joyous sight!

At one end of the garden, a little girl was happily running around trying to catch butterflies. Eyes trained slightly upwards to look at the colourful insect, she didn't see the stone in her path, she tripped and fell down. The little girl's big, hazel eyes were filled with tears and she burst out crying, calling for her mother; momentarily forgetting the fact that her mother is not present in the school.

~

Ratna Malik was an extremely kind woman. She had immense love for kids. Why? For she believed that these naive, little beings need to be taken care of and nurtured for. She didn't want their innocence to be crushed in this cruel world.

She manifested this quality of showering unconditional love, by regularly visiting NGOs, Orphanages where children don't have a parent who cares for them. She made sure that these children receive education by sending them to various schools and visiting the schools to track their progress.

A few of her NGO kids also studied at Sanskriti School. During one such visit to the school, Ratna was sitting on the staircase near the playground, listening attentively to the NGO kids who were telling her their school stories. That was when suddenly one of the girls pointed at something and said, "Ratna Maa, vo niche gir gayi!! Khushi niche gir gayi!" (Ratna Maa, she has fallen down! Khushi has fallen down!)

Ratna's attention was drawn to a little girl of about 6 years who fell down. Ratna rushed towards the girl! By the time she reached there, the girl - Khushi - was sitting up and looking around while big tears poured down from her eyes. 'Probably looking for her mother' thought Ratna.

Ratna kneeled down next to Khushi and gently stroked her head. Khushi looked up at her with big, innocent eyes. She could feel the aura of motherly affection around this lady who was gazing at her.

"Aapko dard ho raha hai?" (Are you in pain?) Asked Ratna with a worried look on her face. To this, Khushi nodded innocently.

"Hum gir gaye, aur humari titli bhi udd gayi" (I fell down and now my butterfly has also flown away somewhere) replied Khushi while showing her elbow to Ratna. Ratna, gently dusted the dirt from her arms.

"Apki chot ko hum yun hi bhaga denge. Aapko jaado dekhni hai?" (I'll make your pain vanish. Do you want to see magic?)

Ratna did a clapping action and said "Aur ye bhag gayi aapki chot!" (There! Now your pain will vanish!) She continued while smiling and distracting the little girl.

Khushi laughed cutely at this. Ratna was satisfied. She wiped the little girl's tears and said "Aapka naam Khushi hai na? Aap rote hue bilkul aachi nahi lagti!" (Your name is Khushi right? Crying doesn't suit you.)

Khushi smiled a full smile! And said "Aap toh humara naam bhi jaanti hai! Aur aane humara dard bhi bhaga diya! Aap toh pari hai, bilkul humari amma jaisi!" (You know my name! And you made my pain go away! You're a fairy, just like my mother is!)