Law of nature

At a busy Chennai Airport Shanthi is hurrying to catch her flight to a conference at Delhi. Suddenly, she stops to look at a familiar face. "Soumya" , she calls out and the girl looks up to recognize her best friend. Soumya: "Shanthi, how are you? You look so pretty". Shanthi: "What are you doing here? I thought you completed your medicine and would be a doctor by now. You are wearing a receptionist uniform." Soumya: "Shanthi, mine is a big story. Seems you are in a hurry. Are you at Chennai?" Shanthi: "Yes, I've to catch a flight to Delhi now. My head would burst if I don't hear your story. I'll take your address and phone number. I'll call you once I'm back" Shanthi left to Delhi. But she could not resist her temptation to know what would have made her friend's life so miserable. She closed her eyes and started thinking of her life 10 years back. Shanthi and Sowmya were good friends. Shanthi was the daughter of a washerman. She had just 3 clothes to wear to school. Her father was a drunkard and beat her mother. "Satan, is in our house in your form. Look at those rags, all useless girls. I have to earn to take care of them and get them married. You are not fit to give birth to a male child." Discrimination, that's all Shanthi knew. Worse was when her mom gave birth to a boy. He was the apple of everyone's eye. Her mom, used to give him good food and give only the left-overs to the other 4. Shanthi's sisters could not go to school but Shanthi managed to get a scholarship due to her intelligence. Soumya, the daughter of a land-lord. She has the finest of clothes and had very good well-behaved parents. Shanthi used to faint quite often because she used to give her share of food to her sisters. Soumya would share her lunch with Shanthi. Shanthi used to refuse saying, "My sisters are eating stale food. I can't enjoy myself when they suffer." When Shanthi could not pay her exam fees, Soumya's parents offered help. Shanthi refused. Soumya told her, "Shanthi, you are the eldest of the five. Study well. Your mom is tolerating all these beatings and harshness just because she can't support herself and you five. I'm not sure if she can live without your dad, though he is a devil. Learn from her mistakes. Education would give you self-respect and confidence to face life. Please accept this money and study well. You're not born to suffer". Shanthi could not refuse. Soumya went to a richer school while Shanthi continued. She took up a part-time job of helping in house-hold work after school and managed to pay her fees by herself. God had given her enough challenges to keep her strong. Shanthi came state first and went to thank Soumya's parents. Soumya had also done well and was about to join a medical college. She couldn't meet Soumya, as she had gone to her grandparent's place. Shanthi wanted to be a teacher and start free school for all the slum girls. Ambitious plans !! Shanthi had joined college much against the wishes of her parents. They had told her not to step back into the house if she steps into college. She had endured enough tears so far and wanted to get out of this hell. The thought of leaving her sisters behind troubled her. But, she said to herself that she'll study well, earn money and then take care of her family. She left Chennai and studied her BSc(Maths). Luck started favouring her. She could easily top the university and got offers from various companies. But, within this 3 years, there was another change in her life. She did not stay in the ladies hostel because it would be too expensive. She stayed in a small hut. She took up a part-time job and sent the money to her sisters. Next to the hut, there was a small house and a beautiful family. Raja, was Shanthi's senior doing MSc. They were good friends. Raja was amazed at the confidence level of Shanthi and of course of her beauty and humility. Raja's family liked Shanthi. They were not a rich family. Shanthi married Raja. What a life, she had got? Raja encouraged Shanthi in all her ideas. She had got the best in-laws who took care of her like their daughter. Shanthi had never experienced a mother's love or sweet words before. She had suffered for 21 years. May be, all her sins have been washed away. Raja, was working in a decent company and earning enough to support his family. He allowed Shanthi to take her own decision. Shanthi had refused all her highly paying, job offers and took up teaching in an elementary school. She slowly started a small school with few teachers which provided free education to all poor girls. Now, it has been 5 years after marriage. They have a 2 year old kid, Swetha. Shanthi is now travelling to participate in a conference at Delhi about the plight of girls and the action to be taken by the government. Shanthi was the key speaker and she had convinced the government to grant her funds for her school. She returned back triumphantly. Raja was waiting at the airport with Swetha. They celebrated this success. Shanthi was searching for her pen in her purse, when suddenly she remembered the phone number of Soumya. She called Soumya "Soumya, I'm back. Can we meet today? I've a lot of stories to share with you". They both met in a beach, and started speaking about their lives. Soumya, who had known nothing except happiness in her life, now knows nothing but sorrows. Soumya's father died of an heart-attack and all the wealth was taken away by relatives. Her mom fell sick and she had to quit college to take care of her mom. Further, she could not pay the fees. Nobody was there to help. Her qualification was just a +2 and she could not get any decent job. She was a typist for a few years. Her mom also died. She and her 2 sisters were at the mercy of their aunt. They forced her to marry a rogue because they can't take care of her. She wondered, "Why is he not loving like my dad?". Worse, he was a womaniser. Life had become miserable for her. She did not want to live anymore. But, she was pregnant. She could not kill the child. She remembered Shanthi's mom and the advice she gave to Shanthi.She divorced her husband. She joined a correspondence course and completed her BA. Initially, she struggled with her child with noone to help. But, managed to get a job as a receptionist. She has a son and, he has become the meaning of her life. Shanthi was moved, "Sowmya, how can all this happen to you? God has no mercy. " Soumya said, " Even I've felt the same. But whenever I lose confidence on life I tell these lines to myself. "எது நடந்ததோ அது நன்றாகவே நடந்தது எது நடக்கிறதோ அதுவும் நன்றாகவே நடக்கிறது எது நடக்குமோ அதுவும் நன்றாகவே நடக்கும்" (Verses from Bhagvad Gita) I suffered a lot to get a divorce. I'm studying law. There are a lot of women still suffering out of fear. Marriage is sacred but its proving to be hell for many women. I want to help them. I've started a women's welfare trust where people like me, who once decided to end their life get a rehabilitation." Shanthi said, "Soumya, I wish you all the best. Never hesitate to take my help when you require. I'm really proud of you" Sowmya thanked Shanthi and left home. Shanthi was silently watching the ocean. She was still not able to accept what she had just heard. Shanthi, a slum girl, who has never smiled in her life is now bringing a smile in many faces. Soumya, brought up with a silver spoon, is also doing the same. Life is full of joys and sorrows. You can be happy for a period of time but then nature surprises you with its own wrath. May be, that's the law of nature. May be, how much we suffer also depends on our previous sins. She understood nature's law. The ebb and fall of the waves depicted the very law of nature. When there is a rise, there is a fall and rise again and life goes on. The wave that falls goes back into the ocean to regain its strength and rises again. She visualised the waves rising higher and higher, without falling, result?? should be a tsunami? Shanthi climbed the ladder from step 1 while Soumya has fallen from the top but she has struggled to climb the ladder again. Only those who understand this law will try to climb others just stay down. People with confidence, think that failures are the stepping stones to success. Everyday is a lesson to learn but we fail to understand the laws !!