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 hummed “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 traveled 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 the exhibition was a beautiful event with lots of unknown people connected together, 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 with a smile and with great deal of satisfaction!

The past few days were memorable but we planned something special for her because the next day she has to go back. We thought to float a sky lantern for her. She loves 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 benefited? 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 and my dear friends who made it happen!

“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 our life beautiful too.. Let us all connect our hearts through love, happiness and most importantly through the faith we have for each other!

- Susuwrites