They tried just about everything, medications, allopathic and Ayurvedic, visited every possible doctors, sages and godmen, paid homage at every holy places, listened and tried every advice given to them. No matter what they did, parenthood seemed to elude them. They had all but given up, still hoping, but always wondering if they would ever be destined to be parents.
Then one day, a community excursion took them to an orphanage. In those little children they found a kindred spirit. If parenthood eluded them, a family eluded these little ones. In those moments which they spent with them they found joy and peace. Then she heard a wail, a cry for attention. She followed it to a cradle where it lay wailing. It suffered from a form skin ailment which made it look different, an other worldly creature from which you would avert your eyes from, turn away from. But here it was, trying to reach out for her, making gurgling like sound, smiling a broken smile.
She felt drawn to it, and with the help of the caretaker she took it in her arms, a little broken but beautiful baby girl. As she rocked her back and forth, she felt an instant connection, she felt complete, that little baby had imprinted on her heart. She found a joy she had long since forgotten, she almost given upon, she had thought she would never be able to experience.
She kept coming back to her, day-in and day-out, spending every moment she could with her. She brought her happiness and joy that was unbridled, unconditional and pure. He noticed this in her, and was not surprised when she broached on the topic of adopting her. He was at first hesitant and knew it would be a huge responsibility. But he loved her more than any doubt that set in his mind and her happiness meant the world to him. He knew he couldn’t her this happiness.
So they adopted her, much to the charging of a few family and friend, who doubted if it would even have a full life or make it though a year. But she just calmly said to them, “she gave me hope and joy, now it’s my turn to do the same.” And so they became whole, the missing piece finally falling in place.
She gave up her job to take full time care of her, cause she need it. She didn’t trust servants and nannies, she wanted to give her all the love she could give. He supported her decision, one hundred percent behind her. At night they took turns caring for her, trying to keep her skin cool, the way the caretaker showed them, the way the doctor advised them. At time, in the middle of the night, she would hear her wail in pain, and she would gently lift her from her crib and place her on her bosom, rocking her back and forth, back and forth, whispering to her, “I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you till the end of time, for as long as I live, my baby you shall always be.” Saying this she calmed her down.
And she made it through the night, through another day, week, month, and a year, beating the odds, beating those who had given up hope in her. She survived and thrived, though her skin condition left her scared and disfigured. She found it difficult to make friends, difficult to bear the cruel jokes that were made at her expense, always isolated, never included in games, and fun. This built the frustration in her, making her act upon it, often landing her in trouble. She often went crying to her mother, complaining the way others treated her, to which her mother explained to her that she was special, a little different, and people take time to adjust to something different, so she would need to give them time, she would need to be an enabler of change in attitude towards her and others like her.
Now they were blessed with a beautiful baby boy. She became a proud and caring big sis, and he was protective of her, standing up to those who made fun of her, those who couldn’t get her. She was grateful to have him in her life, but she tried to inculcate the values of acceptance and tolerance in him, the way she was taught by their parents.
She was aware that she was once an orphan, abandoned by the ones who gave birth to her, adopted by the beautiful souls whom she now called her parents. This truth she learned, quite painfully from a cruel, gossipy aunt. Sometimes she asked her mother why did they adopt her, they could have adopted any kids in that orphanage, why chose her? Her mother calmly replied that they didn’t choose her, she was the one that chose them. When she held her for the first time, she had imprinted on their heart.
As she grew, she became aware at those who stared at her, those who shunned her, kept her away, treating her as if someone with a contagious disease. She didn’t mind this, she had her loyal friends, she had her brother, she had her parents who constantly rallied around her. She became an advocate for adoption, especially the ones with disabilities, the ones who never got adopted, never quite standing a chance of finding a family. She stood for those like her. She was one of the lucky ones and she would need to help them get lucky as her. Her parents and friend stood proudly listening to her narrate her story and giving hope to others.
In the most likeliest of ways she found love, someone who accepted her the way she was. But then the fates had other plans for her. Her mother was detected with cancer, and she spent majority of her time caring for her ailing mother as the disease ravaged her. But once again she found someone who wouldn’t abandon her, just like her mother didn’t abandoned her. So as the cancer finally took its toll, in those moment she took her mother’s head and placed it on her lap, and stroking her hair, she whispered those words that her mother had whispered to her, “I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you till the end of time, for as long as I live, your daughter forever I shall be, cause you’ll be my mother for all eternity.” And as she said these words the life passed out of her mother, as she knew her life was fulfilled.
Now years went by, she married, and
was blessed with a daughter of her own. And at night when her daughter cried, she picked up the babe and rocked her back and forth, back and forth, whispering, “I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you till the end of time, for as long as I live, my baby you shall always be.” Bringing her life a full circle.
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