This was my first try in writing a story.Don't know how good it is.All comments are most welcome.
Life and Death are inevitable truth
As the sun rose up I could feel how bright the day is going to be because the sun brought with it rays of hope and with this hope I woke up ,and slowly got up and stood right in front of the mirror to look at my own face ....my eyes were flooded with tears suddenly....I could feel Soham's every breath. Soham made me realize what I am now .He was perfect 10 on 10 for me. On our first meeting itself we understood that our relationship had a deep root that is going to stay long. Our first meeting was at the hospital, he was 15 when I met him then. I was in for seeing my mum who was a doctor in that hospital; I was in the first year of my college, around 18 years. My mum was as usual busy in her work, but whatever be her job she loved her children and wore a smile whenever she met us. When she met me the first thing she asked me was” How was your day sweetheart?”, this attitude of hers is what I admire the most and the main reason for this, I think was because she was a doctor and so had the practice of first enquiring the patients before starting the checkup.” Great mama”, I replied.” So harshitha any thing I can help you” my mom asked me with her trademark smile. "No mama I was on my way home ,the driver did not come so I was walking back and so thought would stop and meet you”, I said trying to imitate my mum's smile with vain.
Suddenly this boy who was moderately tall with wheatish complexion ,vivacious eyes and thin structure entered into my mom's room "aunty see my answer sheets this time I have got 96% in science I want to be a doctor like you aunty "Soham stopped to take breath, I guess he had come all the way running. In this boy's voice I could see the dream and determination to win, and as people say his first impression was the best for me. My mum in her soft tone held his hand and said, "One day I’ll surely see you as a doctor. Now say hello to didi. She is Harshitha”, before my mum could complete I held out my hand and this little relationship continued. I don’t know why but the next day also I visited the hospital but this time I directly went to meet Soham. And his hospitality was too good, that, amazing is not the word to describe. I could see that his room was damn tidy as opposite compared to mine .And last night I heard from my mum that he was suffering from cancer might be that was one of the reasons for me to go on the next day and meet him. Though he was very young his thoughts were too high and mature. And he had the best attitude. As soon as I sat down the first thing I told him was "don’t call me didi", this was because from my heart I felt hat he had that fire that was beyond the measurement of age.
He then started calling me Harshi. The first thing i learnt from him was whatever the work you do make it neat and presentable, it is not for others but for yourself. This was from the look at his room that I learnt. A guy who is not sure that he will be able see tomorrow's sun or not ,is not at all worried .Don't know what to tell but truly amazing, this was Soham for me. I continued visiting the hospital regularly after the college. Everyday he kept teaching something new and truly mind-blowing. I learnt that he loved music and it was same here. He was almost a companion to all the nurses there. Though Soham's parents were not too rich they were poor neither, and I could understand how Soham had such a good characteristic from his parents and his little sis Ashiaana. If ever I was a boy I would truly want a girlfriend like ashiaana, she was pretty and very intelligent, which was what I liked the most. All of them had a very caring and understanding nature. Though we had everything at home, what was missing at my home was the love. Everyone had their own busy schedule and me & my sister always missed the care. And there was mistake at our part also; we also avoided talking to anyone at home. But Soham taught me what life was all about! The love he had for the things around him would even turn thorns into roses.
This was a Saturday, around a week after my first meeting with Soham. I entered his room and like his usual self, he wished me first. Out of the blue moon I saw Soham writing a diary, I couldn't control my inquisitively and asked him what he was doing? He asked me to come and see what he was doing. I was surprised when I saw the first line of the page. It was like this, "Hi GOD...this very good friend of mine in my habitat (I guess he meant the hospital) is going for an operation, and
i know you are my best friend. I want you to be his best friend also ,and help him through out the operation, take care byeeee, see you soon .....Sorry after lot of years". I was spellbound I have never before seen this dimension of God. I returned without speaking much to him, and the whole day I could not stop thinking about his optimistic and out of the box way of, approaching difficulties.
The next day I met him with flowers, if I truly remember this was the first impact of my new friendship. When I enquired him as what happened to his friend's operation, his reply astounded me" Harshi he is gone to meet God because I think God liked him more than me , and i know after his mischievous God will return him back as a new flower in our garden”. What was this boy I thought, and ended up telling him," Soham your God's own messenger in my life". He made his world the best where ever he lived and this was what made Soham special. He took death with such a maturity that even I doubt a sadhu would be able to do!
Soham's board exams were after a month and he was immersed with books. I invariably did not stop meeting him but now with a purpose, help him out in math. So I became his unofficial tutor .Sometimes I would think why God do injustice did to such a nice human. And the specialty about our relationship is that I could speak out what i felt without fear. So I simply asked him,"Do you ever get angry at God thinking he’s done injustice to you?” But before he could answer I already knew that he would have a great explanation at hand. He replied with his half matured tone, "Harshi I actually cried a lot when i first knew i needed to spend a lot of time in hospital when all my friends will be going to school. But my mom explained the answer to my cry beautifully, that, life gives you every moment to live, live meaningfully. And where ever you live happiness should spread boundary less. There are people on the streets, where kids work to run the family,there are kids who do not have vision, but with the love that they get they see the whole world. They make their living always complete even when they know they don’t have a life like other kids. God has given everyone a special gift which no one else owns. So when you don’t go to school, you see another world, the world of medicines. You’ll surely learn great lessons there just like your classroom. No tension of finishing homework and getting good marks in terms. Now smile for the reason that you are privileged to escape from the scolding and tensions of exam and more hopefully that you’ll expand your circle of friends. When you are all fine you can get back to school. When Soham finished I could see the smile in his eyes. I kind of tried continuing from the point he left, "your mom is true if you were not here i would have missed meeting a very good friend."
As days passed I became really close to him. My day looked incomplete without him. His exams started and I helped in making flash cards and easy to read notes. This new relationship had made me lose contacts with outside world. I had very few friends in college and spent all my free time with him. Sometimes my friends would make fun that I was doing too much to help the boy. They even built good stories that I was interested in the boy. I could only smile at those comments. But this made me think about my relationship with the boy. I strongly believed that love is not what most of us thought .A general definition especially famous among youth is that it is special feeling between two people (a girl and guy).But love is what u can show to all........irrespective of you get it back or not. There is love in the way the clouds kiss each other, love in the way mother scolds her little kid for his mischief, love in the way a dog looks after his new born. One thing is true about love is that it gives infinite happiness. But we need to know that life means happiness and happiness means love, so we all need to grow up and accept the fact that we love everyone we like to be with. So I love everyone around me, in fact everything around me. So all this theory of induction was only to prove that I loved Soham also. But why should I worry about anybody's comments about the beautiful relationship that I shared with Soham.So I would mostly leave the comments like that.
His exams had taken lot of his energy and he looked a little down. Though he was the same smiling all day, I hoped that he shouldn't fall ill during exams. And all our prayers didn't go in vain. He had finished his exams perfectly and now all relaxed. And my sister's birthday was round the corner. Good time for all of us to have a party. My sister, Suhasini, a very sweet girl, she has got all the beauty of my mum, which is totally missing in me. The only thing that I don’t like in her is that she is very lazy .Especially studies, she cares the least. I've wondered how she manages to pass, because all time she would sit with her phone. The funniest aspect of the whole issue is that she is only in tenth and has cell phone for her but I go to college without one. Don’t know why but we actually are the opposites. I am this all time quite girl and she is the all time masti girl. I am kind of good at studies and she cares least about them. And our ambitions are way too different she wants to become an air hostess and I a pilot, but one common factor both of us want to fly. She is all beautiful and dresses up like babe. I take two mins everyday to dress myself up. But still all this differences does not have anything to stop the bonding we have between us. I took all the pains to decorate the living room for her birthday. Since she was also on her holidays, we thought we'll actually have all fun this time. After I finished up the decoration work, i went to pick up Soham for the party. This was the first time he’s coming home, and I had made it a point he'd like it. Aashiana and aunty also accompanied him.
The sunset began, darkness started to spell its wing. It was truly party time. We enjoyed it. Though the party didn’t have lot of people, my sister’s friends filled it up. The first time in my life I saw the glitter and glow missing from Soham's eyes. I knew his mind. Since we had almost shared around six strong months of bonding, I know a little better about him now. I took him alone to show the house, now I got a chance to ask him why he was sad. But I’d have to choose my words carefully. With a smile I asked Soham, ”Looks like you don’t like my house, I don’t see the twinkle in your eyes”. Soham forced a smile and replied back, “Aashiana broke down into tears with the fear that I would not stay for long, what am I to do, it sometimes hurts me also”. Now I knew why Aashiana broke down into tears,” Her fear about whether her brother will have a next birthday made her cry. There was nothing that could stop my flooded eyes. Tears rolled down, without saying. All I could do is excuse myself and go to my room. I wished I could make all the medical reports wrong. Though I knew that Soham was suffering from cancer, he never gave me the clue that he was probably facing his last days. He made me enjoy life. He made me think and live every moment. His friendship meant no boundaries to me. But all I could do now is not to cry in front of him. He’s taught me to act normally at any situation, so how do I not follow his lessons. So I wiped the tears from my face and was back among the crowds. Soham pulled my hands and softly spoke up,” so you cried Harshi?” I could neither nod yes nor no. My silence gave him the answer.” Harshi don’t worry, even if I don’t stay here I’ll always follow you as rays of sun in the morning and twinkling stars in the night. There is nothing that could stop us from death, but if you really like me, then I am sure to stay in your heart always and make you smile with love where ever I am. Why Harshi, if I become a doc I would obviously travel places. So will you not miss me then?” I was spellbound. How does he know I was not comfortable with those words of Aashiana? How does he bring back the confidence that I lose? I just don’t know whether he’s the angel that I have always dreamt of helping me in my bad times when I was a kid. I smiled back genuinely. The party was all fun then.
My sister also liked him a lot, but I doubt whether it was because of his attitude or otherwise he was pretty good looking. What ever is the reason I liked the fact that she liked him. For few weeks from then I couldn’t regularly go to the hospital, my exams were there and I had lot to work on.
No wonder I was waiting for it to complete, and my wings made me fly back to Soham. He looked a little weaker this time, but was otherwise fine. He welcomed me with a lovely card that he made all by himself.
A small little one with words as simple as this, ”Harshi Missed you a lot”.
But the way he welcomed me with a card meant everything. We were having fun with one of the junior doctors there. He is a new doctor and looked smart. He’s finished his college only now. There were many junior doctors. And Soham knew almost all of them. This hospital being my parents, I knew a very few. That showed his love to people.
Siddharth had come for his check up as usual .Soham introduced me to the doctor,” This is Harshitha my sweet, lovely and best friend……Dr.Maya’s daughter”. Before he could complete the Dr.Maya that guy at last raised his eyebrow to properly look at me. I knew my mom’s name made the effect. He replied” I am Siddharth”. Siddharth and Soham had so much fun. Both of them were talking so much about sports that I got bugged. But something was attractive about him might be his name. I don’t know how Soham could make friends easily. Soham told me how Siddharth dreamt of opening a lovely beautiful toy hospital for children……..especially poor kids. I liked the idea. I knew lot of doctors dreamt of helping the poor, but helping the poor along with a beautiful hospital sounded good to me.
Now Siddharth was no new to me. I and Soham would make fun of him. Taking advantage of the fact that Dr.Payal liked him .And we would shout his name when ever she walked past our view. And the way Siddharth ran all the way to Soham’s room the first time we shouted his name. Full enjoyment, and more fun was once when we called up Siddharth, in the name of payal and made him come all the way to the hospitals garden .My sister did a superb job, she was the one who called up, ”Hi Siddharth this is Payal, want to talk to you in person. Can you come down immediately?” She cut the phone without wanting to give him time to reply. And the fun was when he came down with a shy face. And how we all stood in front of him and laughed. Those were lovely times.
Soham’s result had come , as expected he got 91%.But Soham’s health was getting worse. We knew there were only very few days left for him. But all this time I, Soham and Siddharth shared a unique bonding. I and Siddharth shopped for Soham.
But we could stop nothing from God’s hand
Today as I see the tears float, I know Soham’s last wish is all set to go high. As I look up I could see him through sun’s rays.Siddharth is still standing by my side, but now as my husband. Our dream of ‘Soham Kids Hospital’ has come true now. The tagline of the hospital is what Soham had always wanted,
“Hospitals are earth’s lifeline from death”
