A Prayer

I was in third standard I believe when I came home to find our neighbour aunt at our place. It was 5 in the evening, my usual time to get back home. I found everything usual except my mom who was missing. Dad later in the evening said – “Your Mom is in the hospital to get you a baby brother or sister”. Believe me those were the exact thing said to me when I inquired. I was waiting desperately for tomorrow when I would be having a brother or sister as promised to me by Dad.

I cannot lie myself. I knew I wanted a sister not a brother. I remember my Mom-Dad buying rakhi for me and asking some girls to tie me. I was quite happy with that deal too. Just that once (I still remember) I was denied and came back and asked Mom only if I would have one sister. I don't remember myself crying but obviously remember how I felt. I wished if Mom is getting me a sister.

The next day it was Dad who got me ready for school without messing too much. My Dad does not believe in presence of God but always asked me to offer my prayers and then leave for school (for a reason that I now understand). "May be today you can pray to God asking Him a sister". I nodded innocently at my Dad's suggestion. Our house at that time was small and we could offer just a shelf on the wall to God. I do not remember the exact words I prayed with but it must have been one of an innocent prayer. To this day I do not remember praying as sincerely as I did then. My prayers were silent but I knew how dearly I wished to have a baby sister for myself. If I were to pick my truest moment in life, I am sure it would have been that very moment.

Dad came home by 7 in the evening with a broad smile and said- "We shall go to meet your sister tomorrow in the hospital". I don't exactly remember what my response was at that moment. I was surely happy but did I jump or scream or run about I don't remember. What I remember was a little "Thank You God" prayer the next morning and sitting on the pillion of Bajaj Super, the newly first ever vehicle of our family and riding to meet my "Sister".

Mom was lying on the bed and looked weak. Her face said that she missed me as I did and gave me a wave on my head. In moments a nurse came with my sister but I being the tiny one then she had to lower her to let me have a look. My sister was sleeping. I can’t help touching her fingers which were so much smaller than mine; even a pair of small eyes and a very small nose was at its place. The nurse then took her back to some place and after a while Dad dropped me to school.

At some point in life we feel we have grown big and that day was exactly that. I was no longer the smallest one in the family.

This blog is coming at the mid of night because my sis was all time awake and I had to dance with her (in my crooked way) to make her go to bed. I do not want to tell her about this blog but let her find it herself. Tomorrow I need to wake up at 5 AM in the morning to leave her to the bus stand. I am quite enjoying doing these little things for her.

Continuing my Bhai-giri now on, I shall be revealing my baby-sister-sweetness in my life; it is so unimaginative a life without her. What actually makes me wonder is the prayer that did the trick for me.