It's a Nightmare for Me

Even now my body shivers thinking about it. Let me share it with you all.

It was during my 5th grade summer vacation. I had accompanied my mother to attend her cousin’s wedding in Chennai. There is always lots of fun and rituals before the wedding which is then followed by the arrival of relatives from various places.

The wedding went off well. I was not well the whole day. I was feeling uneasy and drowsy. As the wedding took place at the end of May, all the guests were rushing back to their destinations. Next day morning, I started vomiting and ended up having dehydration. The medicines my doctor gave me also failed me.

I was admitted in Maya nursing home, were I was kept for two weeks. Once I recovered I went back to school. As usual my friends and teachers welcomed me warmly and helped me with my studies.

But it looked like the hospital missed me very badly! Within two days in school, I fell sick again and was admitted in same hospital. The doctors diagnosed me with typhoid.

I was so scarred of doctors, injections and medicines that I used to shout at everybody.

I have always been a poor eater, but at that time I was longing to have good food. The doctors kept me on a very strict diet.

My temperature kept fluctuating very badly. The doctors made me sleep on ice cubes to bring down the fever, but it refused to budge. In fact, at one point my temperature rose up to 107 degrees and the doctors gave up all hope of saving me. My parents were beyond themselves with grief. My aunt and uncle consoled them.But God knew that he can’t handle me in heaven and sent a nurse to attend on me. I remember her giving me three injections at a time.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself in the I.C.U...

The Rainy Day

Let me share one of my childhood memories with you all. It was raining and I was sitting on a window sill enjoying the beauty of the rain. It was a lovely sight. The weather had cooled down.

Have you ever witnessed a road when it starts to rain? People all round are suddenly moved into action—some run to the nearest place for shelter and some struggle to open their umbrellas.

I enjoy the rainy season a lot. The only thing I am scared of is the thunder and lightening. I always pray to God when the sky thunders.

As a kid, I would write messages in small pieces of paper and share it with my friends. I have let slippers slip into the water and have run behind it. I used to enjoy these playing these games.

My childhood memories bring Rabindranath Tagore’s poem The Rainy Day to my mind:

Sullen clouds are gathering fast over the black fringe of the forest.
O child, do not go out!
The palm trees in a row by the lake are smiting their heads against the dismal sky; the crows with their draggled wings are silent on the tamarind branches, and the eastern bank of the river is haunted by a deepening gloom.

Our cow is lowing loud, tied at the fence.
O child, wait here till I bring her into the stall.
Men have crowded into the flooded field to catch the fishes as they escape from the overflowing ponds; the rain water is running in rills through the narrow lanes like a laughing boy who has run away from his mother to tease her.

Listen, someone is shouting for the boatman at the ford.
O child, the daylight is dim, and the crossing at the ferry is closed.
The sky seems to ride fast upon the madly-rushing rain; the water in the river is loud and impatient; women have hastened home early from the Ganges with their filled pitchers.

The evening lamps must be made ready.
O child, do not go out!
The road to the market is desolate, the lane to the river is slippery. The wind is roaring and struggling among the bamboo branches like a wild beast tangled in a net.

The last line is particularly a favourite of mine.

Hello

Hi this is my new blog site. Hope you all enjoy reading it.