Hope is the Mother

My paternal grandmom was very creative with words. I used to be mesmerized with her stories and so were her other grandchildren. She had this particular story which remains with me till date. I don’t know where she picked it up from but she told it as if it was her own

So the story went

Once upon a time there was a small town (aat – paat-nagar hote) called Sundarpur. Girish was Malhar rao’s son. There’s was a business family. Girish decided that he wanted to do something on his own. So he set up a tools business. For some years everything went well but as time passed his books showed losses. And Girish got into debt. His mother gave Girish all her jewels to sell off but that wasn’t enough.

The lenders started pestering him for their money. His father did not bale him out either. Malhar rao had the money but he didn't even ask Girish if he needed help. Instead he let him face it full on.  So to escape and hopefully make money in another venture, he decided to go to Manjiri, his sister who stayed in Ganganagar.

Girish made the hundered kilometers journey on foot. However Manjiri,  after hearing his story disowned him. It was made clear that he should go away as soon as he can. Girish started his depressing journey. He had lost all hope and thus energy.

He sat below a tree with a thud. Things were running in his head. Nothing but failure clouded all his thoughts.

“I have lost everything and this is the end”  he thought  “Why not just sleep here in the shade of the tree as there is nothing else to do” and he lay down. He would have just closed his eyes when a fakir came up from nowhere and he was singing something -

“Aas ki maa

Niras ka baap

Hoote ki behen

Nilaam ka dost

Soye so khoye

Jaage so pave”

Loosely translated -

Hope is the Mother

Stand up to Fathers expectations

Have nots are disowned

Friend will rescue

One who sleeps looses

Hard work always pays

Suddenly some brain wave stuck Girish and he rushed back to the city. He spoke to a friend about his idea and after a bit of convincing he did get funding for his new venture. Needless to say Girish saw this as a golden opportunity and worked very hard. He started to make money and his reputation spread. 

 In the next year, he had done and saved enough so started back to Sundarpur. On his way he met Manjiri and gifted her jewels. She also gave him a fabulous idea that had lot of potential.  He decided to work on it as his next venture in Sundarpur.  He met all his past lenders and repaid them. He got back his mothers jewels. Girish then thanked his father for being tough and believing in him.

….And they were happy ever after

We made Aaji tell this story hazaar times for some reason. She never ended the story with any explicit moral but we guessed her messages were:

·      Always see your glass half full – Be an optimist

·      Be open to new people, situations and experiences - Take enough risks 

·      Forgive and forget – people act weird only due to situations

·      Acknowledge your roots – they were the ones that grounded you

·     All is well that ends well - Follow your heart 

 I think she secretly hoped we practice this in our life.  And I guess all her grand children definitely try to…And when we slip....we revisit this story!!