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My wife called, 'How long will you be with that newspaper? Willyou come here & make your darling daughter eat her food? I tossed the paper away & rushed to the scene. My only daughter,Sindu, looked frightened; tears were welling up in her eyes. Infront of her was a bowl filled to its brim with curd rice. Sindu is a nice child, quite intelligent for her age. I cleared my throat & picked up the bowl. 'Sindu darling, whydon't you take a few mouthful of this curd rice? Just for Dad'ssake dear. Sindu softened a bit & wiped her tears with the back ofher hands. 'Ok, Dad.. I will eat - not just a few mouthfuls, butthe whole lot of this. But, you should...' Sindu hesitated. 'Dad,if I eat this entire curd rice, will you give me whatever I ask for?' 'Promise'. I covered the pink soft hand extended by my daughterwith mine, & clinched the deal. Now I became a bit anxious.'Sindu, dear, you shouldn't insist on getting a computer or anysuch expensive items. Dad does not have that kind of money rightnow. Ok?' 'No, Dad. I do not want anything expensive'. Slowly &painfully, she finished eating the whole quantity. I was silently angrywith my wife & my mother for forcing my child to eat something that shedetested. After the ordeal was through, Sindu came to me with her eyes widewith expectation. All our attention was on her.. 'Dad, I want tohave my head shaved off, this Sunday!' was her demand.'Atrocious!' shouted my wife, 'A girl child having her head shavedoff? Impossible!' 'Never in our family!' My mother rasped. 'Shehas been watching too much of TV. Our culture is getting totallyspoiled with this TV programs!' 'Sindu, darling, why don't you ask for something else? We will besad seeing you with a clean-shaven head.' 'Please, Sindu, whydon't you try to understand our feelings?' I tried to plead withher.. 'Dad, you saw how difficult it was for me to eat that Curd Rice'.Sindu was in tears. '& you promised to grant me whatever I askfor. Now, you are going back on your words. Was it not you whotold me the story of King Harishchandra, its moral that we shouldhonor our promises no matter what?' It was time for me to call the shots. 'Our promise must be kept.''Are you out of your mind?' chorused my mother & wife. 'No. If wego back on our promises, she will never learn to honour her own.Sindu, your wish will be fulfilled.' With her head clean-shaven, Sindu had a round-face & her eyeslooked big & beautiful. On Monday morning, I dropped her at herschool. It was a sight to watch my hairless Sindu walking towardsher classroom. She turned around & waved. I waved back with a smile. Just then, a boy alighted from a car &shouted, 'Sinduja, please wait for me!' What struck me was the hairless head of that boy. 'May be, that isthe in-stuff', I thought. 'Sir, your daughter Sinduja is great indeed!' Without introducingherself, a lady got out of the car, & continued, 'that boy who iswalking along with your daughter is my son Harish. He is sufferingfrom... leukemia'. She paused to muffle her sobs. 'Harish could not attend theschool for the whole of the last month. He lost all his hair dueto the side effects of the chemotherapy. He refused to come backto school fearing the unintentional but cruel teasing of theschoolmates. Sinduja visited him last week & promised him that shewill take care of the teasing issue. But, I never imagined she would sacrifice her lovely hair for thesake of my son! Sir, you & your wife are blessed to have such anoble soul as your daughter..' I stood transfixed & then, I wept.. 'My little Angel, you areteaching me how selfless real love is!' The happiest people are not those who live on their ownTerms but are those who change their terms for the ones whom they love� Walk like a king; or walk like you don't care who is king. Don't live poor and die rich; Use your wealth while you are alive.
Regards,Arulprakash R