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The joyful present


Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled. 


There was just one pair of medium sized ladies leather slippers left. The hawker shrieked at the top of his voice soliciting people to buy it. I and my friend had reached the place wandering and now both of us wanted the pair. We asked the vendor for another pair. The vendor glimpsed at us and nodded in disapproval. The whole ground and the surrounding area in Neemuch was covered with young scouts and guides in the age group of 13 to 15. It was a State Rally for the scouts and guides. We belonged to K V Golconda No 1 situated in Hyderabad but all the scouts and guides from various Kendriya Vidyalayas at Hyderabad and Secunderabad were included in Mumbai region.
From K V Golconda near about 10 students belonging to class ninth had been chosen to represent the State rally.  We belonged to different sections. I and my friend Rupa belonged to the C section. My mother never wanted me to be a part of this rally. She had pampered me being the youngest and I honestly did not know the basics of being independent even in my day to day chores. As a neighbour was going for this trip she reluctantly let me go when my father stupendously decided to let me go. The Rally was organised in the month of December at Neemuch which lies on the border of Rajasthan. When we reached Neemuch after two and a half days travel in a passenger train we found our accommodation was in mere canvas tents. We had to settle down fast with our luggage as we had to display our mastered skills with reef knots and many other skills. There were many tests to be dealt and endurance tests to be endured; the greatest one was sleeping in the cold tents. Each day was a suffering of waking up at five in the morning and rushing for the parade.
It was a harsh period and we all missed the warmth of our homes and our parents and siblings. Deep within my heart I decided never to leave my home.  It was during a bio break that we all had loitered to eat cream rolls sold by the villagers in a make shift shop.  There was a day left to wind up. We all were on the look out to buy a few things for our parents.
I bought a few trinkets for my sisters and a painting for my brother as we made way towards the man selling these chappals. Both of us wanted to buy it for our mothers. The vendor had only one pair. I didnt know the size of my mother’s foot. 
 Rupa seemed to have an idea. He quoted rupees ten but we haggled and brought the price down to rupees nine. They were crudely made by the villagers who carried these in a basket. Rupa said that her mother would be pleased but she let me take it after a little introspection. We completed the training successfully and surpassed as first class guides. On reaching home my mother got busy disinfecting all my things. At the end of the day I gave away the gifts to my sisters and brother. When I showed the chappals to my mother, she lovingly hugged me and enquired why had I not spent the money on myself. Before I could say anything she wiped her tears from the corner of her eyes saying that any other child would have spent the money to buy goodies. I felt tall that day due to the appreciation attained and the happiness experienced by my mother.  I lost my mother the very next year but have always cherished the memory of giving her a present. If my friend had taken the pair of chappals for her mother that day, I would have had the remorse of not endowing my mother with a gift in her lifetime. As I grew older I learnt a valuable lesson of giving and living with the most joyful gift “the present”. The precious present .
If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy.
'Today is a gift, that is why it is called The Present.’
Dedicated to my friend Rupa Mukherjee

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