Moral Short Story – The Long Lost Dream..
Photo credit: cohdra from morguefile.com
This story unfolds the life of a lady.A lady from a small village.You can call her RAMA or RIDDHIMA(this is what her in-laws call her as) whatever you like,you will still be addressing the same lady.
Not an ordinary lady she was.She had simple features.But those features were not in conformity with her personality.Totally ironic!Putting it in simple words,God did not make her a simple lady.She always wanted to do something big in her life.What that ‘BIG’ was she always questioned herself.She racked her brains thinking about what ’BIG’ meant to her. Eventually, after a couple of years, she got her answer – hockey it’d be !
She had been extremely talented as a child.A scholar at school, inquisitive by nature ,an eloquent speaker!She had a personality which used to grab people’s attention.Besides this,she was an amazing hockey player.It had been her cherished dream to become a successful hockey player, to see her own picture published in a newspaper in bold showcasing her success as a hockey player. Rama was getting ready to leave for a national level hockey match to prove herself on the field, and maybe, just maybe, take a shot at getting selected to the National team. Selectors and scouts would be there at the match. It had to be perfect! As always. she touched her parents’ feet seeking blessings as was her habit. There was something different today.
To her astonishment, her father – the same man that had leapt with joy at her first hockey goal – ordered her not to go for the match and to do as she was told. She didn’t go – wasn’t allowed to.She wept hard and kept questioning her parents the entire day. As dusk approached, she got her answer – an answer that would be thrust upon her and would turn her life upside down..A guy and his family had come to their place to seek her hand.Evidently,she was expected to get married and take her responsibilities as a wife.Eventually,she found where her life was heading her.She found her dreams going bleak.So this was where her life was leading her – no hockey, definitely no glittering fawning coverage in a national daily hailing her performance. She found her dreams going bleak. It felt like it was time to let go of ancient dreams, to replace the lucid poetry of her expectations with the stone hard prose of reality.
So as was decided for her, she got married. Within 3 years she conceived a baby. A girl it was. She could see her reflection in her daughter as she was growing up. One day, as she was sitting around, her daughter questioned her-”Mamma, what was your childhood dream? What did you want to become when you were little ?”
She couldn’t bring herself to answer it. The truth of her dreams were too painful. She sniffed in a corner and said to herself “I wish my father would have allowed me to do what i dreamed of!”
Enter fate, again ! As she turned around from her melancholy soliloquy, she found her husband standing beside her. He’d been good to her, but she somehow always blamed him for the demise of her dreams. Why did he have to show up that day ? But providence is a funny thing. He stepped towards her, wiped off her tears and solemnly promised her that he will make her dreams come true.
He was true to his word. A few days later, she started a Hockey academy.
Students started pouring in.The telephone rang constantly inquiring about admissions and imbibing plausibility in her.She further hired some good hockey trainers – some of her former team-mates.
Years passed by….she kept on continuing her errands..getting up,getting her husband and daughter ready,cooking food and picking up her daughter from school.Whenever she used to find herself vacant she used to devote her time to the academy. Mentoring players, promoting her academy ,managing funds and getting sports equipment was all she did.
On a fine morning,she was startled to see the Chief minister had arrived to meet her.The Chief minister’s face reflected ecstasy and was feeling proud that his countrymen are still connected to their national game and was apprehensive about it.She was flattered by his chivalry and he was impressed by her audacity and her spirit.He donated a handsome sum of money and instilled in her the motivation to go ahead with her work.
A couple of months passed and it was the time for the state team selection.The history was going to repeat itself.One of her players named Aradhana,a girl who played hockey flawlessly, aged 22 was forced by her family not to participate in the upcoming selections.Her parents were reluctant to get her married. Alas!Aradhana never dreamed that her fate will take up everything from her hands this way.Hockey was now a long lost dream to her. Rama kept calling Aradhana but her parents refused to transfer the call.
It was the day of marriage. Rama did not wanted that as she was forced to trip her dreams aradhana should be forced to do the same.She kept calling but no one at Aradhana’s place responded to the call.She was left with only one hope:the chief minister.She landed into the chief minister’s office but found that he was busy in some meeting.The last hope also died.
The time was 5:30 p.m.Rama had lost all hopes of Aradhana playing for her academy.A tear trickled down her cheek.She blamed herself for being unsuccessful in persuading Aradhana’s family.She felt the same pain as she had 8 years back.Suddenly ,a miracle happened!Destiny played its best.She saw that Aradhana was moving towards her along with the Chief minister. Rama couldn’t believe her eyes.Tears again rolled down her eyes as she came to know that Aradhana is now playing for her academy. He hugged her hard and thanked god for preventing history repeat. Aradhana played for her academy and was selected to play at the state level.The other day,the local newspaper banged in bold the names of the players selected . Aradhana’s father apologised for preventing her from pursuing her dreams and promised her that he will not force her for marriage.
For Rama…it was a big day.But to all readers a question arises,how did the chief minister came to know that Aradhana was prevented from participation.Well,as Rama was coming from Chief Minister’s office she had left a note for him wherein she explained Aradhana’s grief.
Today she is happy that instead of cricket gaining popularity and running into the blood of people she finds parents carrying their kids and getting them admitted into the academy.
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