Short Story for Children – Defects are no more defects
Photo credit: chamomile from morguefile.com
Tanya- 13 yr old girl, usually spend her time lonely at home, at school. She got no friends to share what’s in her mind. Wherever she goes , she isolate herself from other people. She suffered mentally and as the days pass on ,she completely stopped talking to her parents. She behaved like a deaf and dumb girl, maintained silence even at school.
After seeing her bad condition , her parents decided to take her to the psychiatrist as per their friends advice. They fixed appointment for Saturday morning 10 ‘O’ clock and the doctor’s fee was charged ten thousand rupees for one counseling session.Money is not a matter to them , they wanted their child to be normal as other kids.
They entered the doctor’s cabin which was more like home less like a hospital. The room was entirely furnished with wood except the floor, some plant pots were kept near the window panel.
Sonali – the psychiatrist, around 35 age but looked ten years less than that.she was in medium complexion,her hair was short and silky like Chinese women. She worn a light orange cotton saree with black jacket. She was elegant and simple too. Sonali greeted them and asked Tanya to take her seat , her parents waited outside the cabin , praying for their child to be alright.
The counseling starts…
“What’s your name, little girl ??”, sonali started the talk
she was scratching the arms of the wooden chair and maintained silence.
Sonali waited for 5 mins to let her talk… Okay, I’m going to name you- sweetheart!
“Sweetheart! What do u like to have? Juice, biscuits,chocolates ???”, said sonali was expecting her to say something.
She kept silence, she was ignoring eye to eye contact with her. She thought eyes reveals her fear, her hidden tears behind her eyes,anger that was boiling like a hot water.
After a short pause , she whispered sadly looking at the marble floor–
” Tanya”
Sonali relaxed after hearing a word from her and started again to talk politely.
“Hey sweetheart! Nice name,Tanya!! sounds good, it suits you and you look pretty today..”, she said in an admiring tone. Her voice was like a melody singer.
Tanya didn’t mind her and kept looking down with so many thoughts in her mind.
“Ok.. Lets just have a normal talk,You agree ??”, asked sonali while Tanya still looking down in shame.
“Hmmm…” She sounded
“Where do u got this frock you wearing today ?? Pink color is beautiful on you. you know, pink is my favorite color.”, sonali had been trying her best to make her talk openly.
” It was a present from my dad for last year birthday.”, Tanya replied as she was looking down at her palm
Sonali was a perfect psychiatrist, she never lost patience for a single second. She was trying to get along with Tanya in all the possible ways.
“Come on , Tanya.. Look at me,Don’t be shy.Talk to me frankly and don’t hesitate to talk. Consider me as your friend.Friends share their secrets , you know right ???”
“Ask me whatever u want to ask.I’m just open to you.Today you are more than my guest.”, said sonali , in her sweet voice .
She never treated her patients like patients, she gave them a guest feel. That’s the beauty of her and main secret too.
Tanya slowly rose her chin up and faced sonali for the first time. She’d been in the room for more than half an hour.
Sonali smiled at her and she got up from her seat and sat near Tanya .Tanya in complete anger on herself , poured out what was running in her mind..
“Am I born with defect??, am I not like other children??, Why can’t I able to study like others ?? ,Why I fail in most of the subjects ??,am I not a gifted child to my parents??,am I born with curse??, do I not have any talent inside me??,Why other classmates are avoiding me ??”, Tanya in one shot, put all her questions before sonali as she wept in inferiority complex, she felt so insecure and worrying about her inability.
Sonali understood that Tanya was in terrible frustration and she calmed down Tanya by patting on her shoulder.
“This is so simple thing.Nothing to worry about it . First you take a deep breath and have this orange juice now. Relax yourself for 10 mins.. Just close your eyes and be silent for a while” , sonali embraced her.
After 10 mins, Sonali started to talk.
“It’s not at all a problem that you are no good at studies. Lets solve it together.”, Sonali was trying to make her feel comfort. listen to me attententively for Just 10 mins.This 10 mins is going to change your life as how you wanted to be.
” My dear,You are no less than others, off course you can’t be like others too because you are unique. “TANYA IS UNIQUE”, each and every person is unique in this world and the most important thing is don’t compare yourself with others and don’t let others to make comparisons with you. Definitely you are a gifted child to your parents..”
” The thing is just you lack in listening , concentration.your mind is filled with full of thoughts.”
She gave a puzzled look at her … “Thoughts… ??? Is that a problem ???”, Tanya inquired in doubt.
“Yes dear! To make you understand, thoughts is like when the teacher is teaching you are not listening to her, rather you talk with yourself –Like you’d be singing inside that you had watched previous night, you would be thinking your favorite food, so many things you had been thinking continuously and you miss to listen the class.
Listening is an art, if you keep on practice it, one day you will outshine Tanya,I’m sure. Then no one can bring you down.Don’t let your mind to control you. Got it , sweetheart???”, sonali said with a happy face .
“Next time, when the teacher is teaching, if you encounter thoughts in your mind, just pinch yourself and get back to the teacher”, sonali said as she warmly holded Tanya’s hand.
“Just enjoy the life in all its possibilities.”, sonali saw some kind of relieved ness on her today’s guest, little girl, sweetheart MS.TANYA.
When she stepped out from the doctor’s cabin, she felt something different about her, little hope, little confidence were started to budding in her heart.
Tanya , after 10 yrs, started her career as a junior psychiatrist while she reminded sonali’s words – ” NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE.”
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