A FRIEND IN DISGISE….

There is always someone’s effort behind our success we should never forget that as when we get success everyone would praise us…. but what they did for us ….the only person to praise them is us………

Clinging on the sheet of paper in my hand listening to the sound coming from the crowd a tear
rolled from the corner of my eyes...closing my eyes all I could think is look back to what
made this happen...

It was Saturday the parents teachers meet day and as usual I made my mother stand in the line
of failed students ….some in one subject some in more than that...the line was pretty long for
my relief suggesting I am not the only one but the length doesn't concern my mother it's the
mark sheet in her hand which is making her fume in this winter season...in complete  silence
she was giving me the stare which only made me regret the length of the line...

After the 10mins with my teacher and the next 12 hours with my mother shouting and then lecturing  about the importance
of studies in life and how it could mould my future...and as usual I felt worthless and
disappointed with my life and finally questioning my existence...in those moments I prefer to
go on terrace and sob in silence...in my sorrow I didn't notice a small bird struggling to
get up and fly...I noticed I was sitting right next to this sparrow whose wing got broken
and was trying every bit of its energy to get on its feet and fly...but with each attempt she was
breaking her wings even more...I tried to help the bird but in defense she bit me and it bled
but at the moment I ignored...and found a shoe box filled it with some cotton and placed the bird
in the box...then i googled how to take care of an injured bird and it said to call a vent or a
wildlife helpline I did the latter and in some time they came and picked the bird from me...
I just hope I did the right thing...but any who this whole episode was like the silver lining
to my otherwise horrible day...

Then my life went as usual school… exams… regrets...an year passed and then came the time for
entrance and I was given the upstairs room to study which had a small store room attached to it….which had all my old books and notes….I went in to get some of my notes  from the top shelf …. I
got this strong foul smell that I held my nose with my dupatta… when I checked there was a nest at the corner of the store room…
I found small eggs in the nest looked like sparrow egg and in my curiosity I didn't notice a sparrow
staring at me...the moment I saw the bird I fell from my chair as the mother birds are usually
protective of their offspring...but she just sat there looking
at me...honestly the thought of her being the same sparrow crossed my mind…. but den again I have no idea about a sparrow's life span ....google says 3 years it seems...but how could she possibly remember me I laughed
in my head...but the thought of not attacking me was still there in my mind...

Well I let my tenant live in the store...she had a fixed routine morning she would go before the sunrise
and comeback before sunset...I started adjusting my time according to hers as it was nice to see
her go and we had mutually made a language which we understood...she would go to fetch food and I
would get up for my studies...and by evening I will see her happily resting with her family...
sometimes she would come sit on my table with her curious eyes blink at me and then fly away...
I got used to her so much that I saw her as my family...

Slowly I started performing well in my exams...and even though my parents gave credit to cutting of my TV
privileges I credited the bird...even on my sad days somehow she knew and would just come
check on me occasionally...slowly time passed and one day I saw the eggs got hatched and little sparrow kids came
out I was so happy that day...I showed my mother and though she didn't like the idea of nest in our house but
as she saw the little baby bird her maternal instinct made  her  think otherwise after that even my
mother started noticing the nest and the birds and even at time I see her shooing off the cats
if they tried to come near the bird's nest...

Life was going as normal and then it was time for campus and I was not getting placed anywhere
mainly the fear of interview made me scared of facing the campus...on one such disappointed evening I noticed
the nest was empty and the old sparrow was sitting there alone...I don't know how the birds show sorrow
but there was  sadness in the air...due to the campus selection pressure I have not noticed the
bird for a long time and I also don't remember the last time I saw her kids around...it was summer season and usually the
birds migrate in this season but I never saw this bird migrating and  I figured may be sparrows don't migrate...
she was very silent and hardly chirpping...my imagination took the best of me and I feared her death...and I tried to touch her
again I got bitten in defense even though it hurt but I was relived she was ok....and she flew…
next day morning when I woke up she was sitting on the table as if waiting for me to get up... since the college ended
I was no longer maintaining my routine of getting up early but as soon as I got up she flew and somehow I felt bad as in my mind
I thought because of me the sparrow got late...

So next day onward I tried to get up early with the sparrow and she would go for her routine
and since I was getting up early again I started investing my time studying for campus and slowly
I started building up confidence and when a big MNC came for campus I passed all the rounds.  My parents where on cloud nine and I was getting praises from family and friends.
I then shifted to my room downstairs as by the time my brothers too moved to a different city
for job and I got there room.  

Days passed and the day of our convocation came and as I was getting ready I remembered the bird and went upstairs to see her
and again in the store I got the strong foul smell but this time it concerned me and I saw the bird in the nest dead for few days now
I stood there in horror and an extreme sadness engulfed me and I started crying and my mother
saw me and asked me what happened all I could say was "my bird died..." even though she held me close and tried to console me
she couldn't understand why I am feeling so hurt...cause only I know how this tiny little creature changed my life....how she simply entered my life
and slowly lead me to the path of success...she was in every sense a true friend to me...

And today at convocation with this degree and a job in my hand when the crowd is cheering for me all I could do is look at the sky and thank my little friend with a smile...