[SHORT STORY] lullaby story

On a dark winter night, when strange scary sounds kindled the lonely black woods with their invisible appearances, I tried my best to calm down my child, who quivered more because of the fear of a beast or ghost eating her up rather than freezing cold night.

“Sweetie, you remember the lullaby mom sings to you?”

“Yes, pa.”

“Do you want to listen to where did it come from?”

She jumped and nodded, “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

I sat beneath an oak tree to offer my 6 year old shelter in my lap, and started the story by caressing her head and kissing her hand.

There was a time, Sahira, when things were not right. Disorder ruled the world, and the city had chaos. People had replaced the meaning of joy with richness, in fame, money, and power. Not only the criminals, everyone who was decent, or honest, or loyal, suffered. Bad, as it may sound, deserving people had their lives rotten, and themselves broken before they could bloom. One could not just simply trust tomorrow, back then.

In those days, when corruption speared lives of these people, they prayed to their gods – To restore harmony, to bring back good will, to reconstitute peace. And, as he always does, he listened to their plea and sent out an angel, who, then changed the ways people lived, societies worked, power was practiced. She came into this world and re-defined joy, as cheerful memories spent together with friends, family, and…

“and my teddy?”

..and your teddy bear. She showed through her life how happiness is time, and not money or power, well spent. She lives her life emitting inspiration, loving everyone she met, befriending and bringing out the positive side of everyone she came across. She single-handedly dominoed darkness by her pure soul. She’s my friend, and your lullaby is based on her. Let me sing it to you.

Now that devil’s shadow has left, the skies are starry again.

Light jumps around like a kangaroo, and flies around throughout the day.

Now that all snakes are gone, wise owls are awake again,

Life thou is more, the wiser you are, and this was the wisest day.

Now that the bells have rung, it’s time for joy again,

People are happy, smiles are blooming, there’s a reason to remember this day.

Now that the angel has restored joy, a peaceful tomorrow awaits again,

So, close your eyes and sleep Sahira, for tomorrow has a lot to give away.

Now that she’s here in our world, perfection is revisited again.

It’s the day she was born, and that’s how the story ends today.

P.S. Happy Birthday Mohini! 🙂