Life Frames

It was a bleak afternoon and after lunch I was day dreaming. She walked straight to me and handed a letter and said

"It's a letter from my daughter. I wanted to show it to you" and she walked away

It was a class notebook paper folded into four. I slowly unfolded the letter and i could see the pencil written words and the first thing caught my eyes is the slanting way it has been written neatly. I went through the lines. Read it thrice and I realized it is the insecurity of a teenager who has a lot to say but don't know how to say. I could sketch a frame of that little girl who wants to say to her mom "Mom I am sorry if I am not up to your expectations, but this is me." I carefully folded the letter and slipped it into my wallet.

Did my wallet suddenly become heavy? May be yes it has got the emotions of a daughter and a mother.

I walked towards her and sat beside. And said, "I read it" and she was seeking the response from my eyes. That eagerness of a mother. I kept silent and then she unleased.

"I don't know what to reply or what to act to her. She has been having this mood swings and.."

I stopped her in between and grabbed her hand and said "Come" and we walked out and while walking I told her

"You don't have to think of reasons about how, why and when. All you got to do is go home today, Grab her and make her sit on the kitchen slab. Cook something with her and wait for her to talk. You might feel the rush to talk but listen. Just listen. She doesn't want solutions all she needs is her mother to simply listen. And when she is finished Hug her and say, 'Its ok I know 'and smile with all your inner heart and kiss her"

I could see her eyes glowing, and she grabbed my fingertips and said, "Will do."

I handed over the letter to her and patted her shoulder.

I lay trying to sleep, but that kitchen place has already created a frame in my head space. The slab where the kid sits, and the mother cooks a dish for her, a very simple dish and they both share a laughter and moments to follow. I was there sitting few steps back watching them engage and flourish. The life river and its flow. As I lay dreaming, me sitting near them and witnessing their moments. I messaged her "You have to frame that letter she gave you. Its precious".

She replied "I had also framed a moment,  when me and her were talking and cooking at the kitchen I turned back on the chair as if to simply see you were there. And that moment while turned back to see you is the moment I have framed"

Life's frames that have no timelines of past, present or future. They travel through time and space and make frames inside us to remember, love, cherish and loose