Faith Continues…

Posted by: Sakhi on: November 13, 2008

• In: Anguish | Fiction | Food for thought | Friendship | Kids | Life | Love | Marriage | Relationship
• 36 Comments

Their life changed and how!! Baby’s laughter, cries and antics filled their days with pleasure. They named the baby “Khushi”, for she brought them happiness. As the days passed Kaushal forgot all about her birth problems and things fell into routine. Preksha also resumed her work after a few months.

 

Khushi was very timid and looked like a porcelain doll. But as she grew up her parents noticed that her milestones were delayed. The paediatrician asked them to wait since certain children took time. But as the fate would have it Khushi never became “normal”. She remained a slow child! Her physical capabilities were also compromised. Preksha and Kaushal were heart broken to see their only child in such a state.

 

They tried to search for the reasons, was it because of the late pregnancy? Was it because of the delayed oxygen supply to the brain at the time of delivery? They wanted reasons; they wanted to blame something, somebody…

 

Over a period of time they came to term with the situation. And all said and done, Khushi was their only child, their precious princess and now she needed them more than anything else. In spite of her delayed growth, she was a happy child and loved playing around. She needed more care, a cautious supervision and special attention.

 

“I want to be with Khushi… I want to leave the job.” said Preksha at dinner one day.

 

Kaushal had never forced her for anything. He was happy with her happiness. And he also knew that Khushi needed her mother’s care and attention. But he also knew that Preksha would go bonkers if she stayed at home full time.

 

He was right. Being a full-time mother of a slow child was taking toll at Preksha. She needed an outlet.

 

One day on internet, she came across a site which helped people put up NGOs and the necessary training required for running such an organization.

 

Preksha looked at Khushi and thought,

 

“There are so many mothers like me who are in the same position and might not have enough capability or resources to bring up their “special” children. I, anyway, have to look after Khushi, so why not help others also!!”

 

Kaushal was more than happy with the idea.

 

And the ball started rolling.

 

Isn’t it said, “When you desire something, the entire universe conspires to realize your wish”?

 

The journey was not easy, not easy at all! But the smiles of the little angels kept her going. Initially the finances were tough, but as the word spread, donations came pouring in and also the volunteers. Young boys and girls took time from their studies to donate their time.

 

Slowly but steadily her dream took shape and today Preksha is a proud founder of “Khushi’s Paradise”; a paradise where Khushi and her “friends” love doing finger painting,  listening to stories, getting scared of puppets, eating sloppily and then sheepishly smiling at “aunties”, “Didis” and “Bahiyas”. Still, their favourite is “Preksha mamma”.

 

Preksha started with one child but now she was a proud “Mamma” of 60 such Khushis…

 

Epilogue: Khushi is now 6 years old, still passes urine and sometimes stool too, without realizing. She still needs attention and constant watch so that she would not lose balance while walking. She has to be looked after while eating so that she would not get chocked since her cough reflex has not yet developed properly. She has a lot of other problems but her smile is intact.

 

And she still brings happiness to her parents’ lives!!

Tags: accomplishment, Anguish, Donation, faith, Fiction, Food for thought, Happiness, internet, Kids, Life, Love, Marriage, NGO, partnership, physically disabled, Relationship, Short story, site, slow child, story