Like a Lantern!
“Small things makes life beautiful” my mantra keeps
proving it to be in each incident in my life! One such was meeting a “beautiful
stranger” in person!
Simi, my friend, a fine admirer and a Facebook
friend of this person once asked me“ Sudhi, she is expecting an exhibition here
in Kochi soon and is searching for a place to stay, why don’t we take her to
our home”? Without a second thought I said yes, because her name was not truly strange
for me. I had once gone through her lovely story in a blog and was expecting to
take an interview for the magazine I work for. So, though a selfish thought, the
first thing that came across was my meeting with her for an interview. We
consulted with our other friends at home and they too humed “yes” to welcome
this unknown person.
Four days later, it was around 7.30 when I saw her
unexpectedly at my home. “Hi, I am Fathima, she shook her hand with me” She
looked mature with her specs, and looked beautiful with her smile! I
congratulated her for the wonderful paintings. Yes, it was really beautiful at the
first sight.
Fathima felt a bit strange in our home that she
rarely took her head up from the phone.
Feeling empathy with that situation, I went up to her and we started
talking, talking and talking….We talked about her paintings, children, dyslexia
that affected in her childhood, the school system, the way the parents treat
the affected children, her dreams to start an organization etc..etc… I could
well go on to the track because my job too was finely related to children a
lot!
We respected her notion towards art that only a few
girls would dare to do from her desk! “Aurora” her exhibition was to be held at
Kochi for a week. Me and Simi, bothered to take care of her on the whole course
as she was all alone, packing her bag to Kochi. Somehow, we managed to track
things but, many a times, we were drowned by the sudden fluctuations with the
availability of gallery, resource person for inauguration, sponsors etc…At
times we felt that why are we so much into this? Why do we want to help her out
bringing the exhibition a success? May be that’s because we had already entered
her “aurora”! The intimate thing started developing between us. She looked
happy and comfortable with us. Gradually, she became one of us. So intimate
that she recreated her childhood and made it happen, what she just missed out! Matured
girl with specs then seemed to be an innocent giggling child. She accepts that
she still suffers a little, it was hard for her to find the directions, it was
hard for her to arrange things accordingly and I think that acceptance is what
makes her successful. We accepted her as her and never expected anything which
wasn’t her. We lived the days with the same acceptance that we wondered later
when she started directing the auto drivers to the places we travelled and
started arranging things! And that is all about, the so called “Dyslexia.” And that
is why “Aurora” happened as the reflection of her ideas and a deep dedication
to all the children affected with this condition!
The work progressed and unfortunately, I had to go
for a camp at Attapadi and would be able to come only after two three days. Lots of work left over and the only hope was
our other friends Athu and Appu. Simi, athu and appu with other friends took
over the whole process to the doorsteps of the exhibition. They recreated the
whole thing. Paintings within paintings. They worked hard just for this
beautiful stranger! The most magical thing was, at times they realized that if
one wills, it happens!
I heard all funny, hardworking stories from all of
them when I came back. I entered the gallery, into her aurora and when I observed
her other paintings I just wondered, seeing the exact visual representation of
her experiences and ideas! So well connected! Fathima has created an aurora and
if one wants to understand that it is mandatory to enter her aurora and look the
world from there.
People started entering and exiting her aurora. Many
of them experienced it; the ones who slipped out of the aurora couldn’t
understand her paintings. We met a lot more beautiful strangers. The last day
of aurora was a beautiful event with lots of unknown people connected together
in her aurora, smiling at each other, breaking the nutshell of the word
stranger, listening to her melodies and strings of ahsan (guitarist)! We bid
goodbye to our strangers!
We came back happily. Still, something was left out.
Me, simi, pooja, anju planned to give a small surprise to our beloved fathima.
We thought to float a sky lantern for her. She will love it because her
paintings repeats some elements like, fireflies, lanterns, stars, etc..etc…Taking
much effort we climbed up to our terrace for the first time with a shaky
ladder. We hold her eyes closed and lit the lantern and just float it to the
sky and when she opened her eyes, it brought magic! She just hugged us and said
“ The most beautiful moment in my life, so far!” which could be the best
statement to be heard! The sky lantern flew high and high with the wishes
taking high! It started drizzling!
Should I write this experience and share it with my
friends? Would they be benefitted? But then I thought I should! The past ten
days were something unusual in our life. It brought satisfaction, happiness,
creativity, love and moreover the importance of faith in somebody or something…I
dedicate this to my dear friend, fathima.
“She’s a stupid girl,” said each one of them once.
Yes, she was stupid if that beautiful transition could be called so! “ She’s an
extraordinary girl,” says each one of them now. Yes, she is extraordinary, if
this beautiful existence can be called so!”… When I wrote these words for you I
really meant it! For me, you are extraordinary and beautiful which made my life
beautiful too!
-
Susuwrites
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