Few people stay in your life all the time, they stand beside you in thick and thin, share your everyday activity, keep knowing every aspect of your life, and they just go on. Few people come at some part of your life, make a huge impact on your thinking, feelings, activities and go off. People who are there always may or may not influence you to the extent than these Flash Fliers in life. Its the difference of a usual sea or an occasional tsunami.
One person pulled me to walking everyday for half hour, saying why the hell am I spending all my time on the laptop! We walked miles and miles, sharing the sun, frenzy weather, fearful winds, snow showers and with all this our thoughts. We travelled back to three decades, memories that age more than my own age, and became an ardent listener always. The other person spent most of the weekends with me, With all their permissions, I would like to write about these two special people I came across in my recent past.
Just a fortnight before the well planned travel to USA, 35 years back, a 36 year old woman with 4 children aged between 5 and 10, faced one of the most difficult adversity. The sudden death of her husband. All the relatives who eagerly awaited for the family suddenly disappeared. Friends kept a distance. But her convictions were strong and she made the bold decision to still go ahead with the travel. This time, she had to handle it all herself. 7$ per person was what was allowed to be carried and lot more shocks awaited her in a cold country. Jersey City welcomed her with a cold shoulder, with absolutely no people to support or guide. Though born in a wealthy business family, she had to restart everything afresh. Did different jobs that she did not even want to recall to feed her children, working night shifts, making food for neighbours in the morning and baby sitting forgoing her few hours of sleep during day. In all her 30 plus years of stay in US, she never owned a vehicle. I was shocked to know that for a month we could not manage with out a car here. Not a single time, she went to a restaurant nor bought shoes costing more than $10.
As the roads took new turns in life, there emerged four success stories. One daughter as a senior vice president in a leading bank, other two daughters running their own pharmacy' s and medical aid centres, and her son who is a leading Auditor and an upcoming solicitor. Today when her family meets at her apartment in Jersey, she is embarrassed with 3 BMWs and couple of Ferrari's coming down at her parking lot, envying her neighbours. Summer comes, she is again busy making her dhoklas, papads, and roti's this time not for 4 but 7 of her grand children who eagerly awaits her in every summer. One way, I felt that I found my mom in Michigan.
I saw a pain in her eyes when I went to tell her that I am leaving. May be she found someone to share after many years, few moments to say, Ho, Ya and walk ahead with smiles. Yes, looks like I rekindled her emotions, and am writing this here, only to inspire people like me, that no adversity is difficult not to cross. All it needs is a strong conviction, determination, will power, enormous amount of self less love and sacrifice, hard work and perseverance. As she set back to Jersey city, from Pontiac for Thanksgiving this week, I know she is a flash flier in my life. I may not see her again but her spirit and determination had definitely made an influence on me! People who make a difference!
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