Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Elina

My aunt nor i had met her before. but she opened the door and gave us the biggest smile and said...hhhiiiiiiiiiii auunttyyy!!( to my aunt of course!!). as we went in, she only gave us only 100% of her attention. she was soo cheerful and happy and running about here and there. I wouldn't have imagined that she had lost her father only about 6 months ago. her name ELINA...

elina(to me): can you please help me with this bouquet of flowers I'm trying to make for my mother?
me: yeah sure, why not!
elina: thank you soo much akka, so what do you do? are you in collage?
me: yeah I study in Dakshinachitra(I started helping her draw on her sheet)
elina: O really, i have been there. Akka you know some thing you draw soo well( with a big smile)
me: really , you think so??(proudly continue to draw badly) anyway what are your hobbies elina? do go for singing classes?
elina: yeah but i like dance better, you know all i want to do is go around the world and give performances ...just like my dad.
me: yeah im sure you will..you like dancing better than singing!??
elina: I don't think i could sing as well as my dad ...
me: you have to try!! you cant say that after learning for just a year!!...anyway dancing is good too..i learn dance too!!
elina: really akka!!thats wonderful!!
me: so why are you making this bouquet?? school project?
elina: nooo...in fact i have my exams going on, i have English tomorrow...this is for my mother!...
me: O, for your mother!!
elina: yeah...these days she hardly even smiles...after my dad died she feels very.....alone...!
me: (shocked that such a young girl is able to talk about stuff like this, i continue to draw and nod my head)
elina: yeah she keeps crying , i feel very bad...when i tell her not to cry she doesn't listen to me..so after i come home every day i make some thing for her so she doesn't feel bad.
me: that's really very nice ....(still a little shocked)
elina: yeah yesterday i made her a drawing of a cake, then few days ago i made bird with color paper, today i thought ill give her flowers, see i have these are extra straws ....can you help me cut it??
me: sure!! give it to me...
eline: thank you so much akka...i don't know how i would have done it if you weren't there...
me: so what do you do when you come back from school?
elina: i come back at 2 o clock...and eat some thing that my mother has prepared then i sit think about what i can make for her that day or what to do when she comes back so that i can make her happy!...do that till she comes n show it to her...then do my home work ...n that's all i go to sleep...
me: o don't you have friends in your flat with whom you can play with?
elina: no...theres no body...
me: O so your all alone at home until your mother is back?
elina: yeahhh...(with this very casual expression)...O i also practice my dance and singing...because i want to become really good when i grow up. i want to be just like my father when i grow up. i want to go to america, and london and all...have you been there??
me: america..yes!!...
elina: realllyyyyyyyyyyyy !!!!your soo lucky akka...(i just give her a smile)
me: here this is almost done!...what color shall i put on top?
elina: red..that's my mothers favorite colour.!!shes going to be soo happy...(she gets all excited )
you know Christmas is coming and she wants to go away to this camp because she doesn't what stay here alone..
me: un huh...do you want to go too??
elina:i will go where ever my mother goes...i never leave her..

then she said some thing..that moved me a lot!!

elina: you knowww....since my father died ..shes been so unhappy..i jussssttt don't know what to do ( in this mallu accent)....all i want to do is make her happy!..with these flowers shell be happy for just a little time..then she becomes sad again!!...( she puts her hand on her chin and is deep thought, as if trying to solve a math problem)..what do you think i should do..??
me: well, maybe she'll be okay in some time...
elina: but akka its already been sooo long!!...
me: ok well then keep trying!!..am sure things will change...
elina: (not convinced) okay okay ill think of some thing...o the flowers are done!!...o akka ...they look so pretty!!...come come...lets go give them to my mother!!

she runs to the living room with the flowers hidden behind her back, and asks her mother to close her eyes. her mother does as shes told, then she sits in front of her with her biggest smile with the flowers in front and says ..."okaay opeeennn"...

her mother looks at them and smiles...mean while elina is all over her tell her and showing her what i drew and what i cut and all..her mother smiles and says yeahh its really pretty...looks at my and gives me a smile.Elina mean while has the biggest smile and this sparkle in her eyes when she sees her mother smiling.

i still dont understand how an 8 year old can be so mature, be so strong. mind you that 30 mins i spent with her, not once did she sound sad or depressed. she was so in control of herself, her goals set, her aims clear and she was prepared to do anything to make her mother happy. THAT is a quality many people lack, some times even me.