Missing Moments

Radhamma lived in a compound that consisted of over twenty houses. In the row where her house was located, though, were only two large houses. Living next door were a family of four that included two young children.

Radhamma was a stickler for cleanliness; she ensured there was no speck of dust near /in the house. Unfortunately for her, the two kids next door often played around the house area which made it constantly noisy plus there was always dust and dirt around given the kids went to the streets and came back to the compound dozens of times. Radhamma often screamed at the top of her voice to keep the kids in control. They wouldn’t listen whatsoever.

During the exams, there was some respite for Radhamma. She was a happy woman. However, as the exams drew closer to completion, she was going back to her anxious state. Summer holidays were coming! The kids would now play the whole day and not just in the weekends and the evenings!

Fortunately for Radhamma, the kids were nowhere to be found on the first day of holidays. She learned from a neighbor that they were gone to their grandparents place. They wouldn’t return for the entire two months.

Initially, it felt like an absolute relief for Radhamma. However, after a few weeks, she started to madly miss the kids. Though her home territory was now spick and span, she preferred cleaning it over and over again. She could meditate sitting in silence; nevertheless she missed the noises created by the kids. The lovely kids had created an irreplaceable void comprehensible only to her.

She waited impatiently till the kids arrived back from the grandparents’ home. As soon as they had returned, Radhamma went to their home to invite the family for dinner. This came as a surprise since the couple was sorry for Radhamma for all the mischief that the kids did. Radhamma cooked the family a sumptuous dinner and over the dinner, informed that she truly missed the children.

The children beamed with joy hearing Radhamma’s words. They did not have to worry about upsetting Radhamma anymore. Even if she screamed, they knew it was out of love and never out of hate. And, that’s all mattered.

Some relationships in our lives are special and weird. We get annoyed in the presence of one another yet we cannot seem to ever live without one another.