Nimmi’s Determination

It is eleven in the morning. Nimmi is sitting on the charpoy placed under the mango tree and looking at the children playing in the fields a little beyond. She too wishes to play but her legs don’t respond to her wishes. They remain the same stiff and painful. No one else but she is responsible for this situation. She was a normal kid until last year and used to climb trees play in the fields swim in the ponds go to school help her mother and did everything like other girls of her village. But last summer she met with an accident which paralysed her legs. It was a scorching summer afternoon when Nimmi was playing with her dolls while her mother was taking an afternoon nap. Dipa and Meera beckoned her from the window to join them in going to the mango orchard a little beyond the paddy fields.

She didn’t think twice before running out of her home to pluck raw mangoes along with her friends. Nimmi was best in climbing trees so she went up to reach the mangoes dangling from the top most branches. She plucked and threw them down to be caught by Meera and Dipa. They were enjoying a great time in the orchard when a cold breeze began to blow. It felt very soothing in the extreme hot afternoon but the breeze turned to thunderstorm soon and the daylight was wiped off from every corner of the earth. Nimmi’s friends screamed “Nimmi dust storm is approaching. Let’s run back home fast”

They collected those that fell on the ground and then started running. Nimmi too tried to descend from the tree as soon as possible as she feared that she will be left alone in the orchard. But hurrying to get down she lost her foot and felt on the ground with a thud. When she woke up she was in hospital with her mother sitting beside her bed. She was happy to see her mother and her mother cried in delight to find her in senses. But when she tried to move her legs she could understand something is amiss. She couldn’t feel her legs. What happened to them? She asked her mother “Ma why cannot I move my legs?”

Her mother was shocked. She called the doctor and said everything. The doctor did some more tests then said “Your child has got severe pain in her backbone and so her nerves aren’t working properly. I’m prescribing some medicines. I feel she will be well in few months”

But months went by medication didn’t bring much improve in her legs. Nimmi was very much depressed. The question she often asked “Ma when will I be able to go back to school again” died away as she knew now she won’t be well again. She now stayed at home and looked helplessly at the children going to school playing in the fields.

One day Nimmi was sitting as usual while her brother Montu was trying to make a kite. But he couldn’t make it perfect and the paper tore off. He was annoyed and threw away every item for making kite. Nimmi watched him until he left then she tried to get down from the charpoy. It was very difficult for her as her legs did not respond at all. But her willpower helped her and she could descend from the charpoy at last. Then she crawled towards the mat where Montu has left his kite making ingredients. There she sat and started making the kite in the way she had seen her father making sometimes. After sometime her kite was ready. Now it can fly in the air. Nimmi looked around to find out where her brother was. After a moment she saw him coming this way. She called him out. Montu was going to find out his football so didn’t wish to come. But when she went on calling him eagerly he came near very reluctantly. He asked “What happened?” She said “See this kite. How it is?”

He was surprised “Who made it? You?”

She nodded her head in satisfaction. “Lovely” he screamed. “Can I take it? I wish it to fly”

Nimmi gave it to her brother and he ran with the kite to fly it. A few minutes later she could see her kite flying high in the sky. She hoped she too could have run in the field to enjoy the flying of the kite. Her mother came out of the home to take out water from the well. She was worried seeing her daughter sitting on the mat as she had made her sit on the charpoy. She came running to her and asked “How did you fell off beta?”

Nimmi looked at her mother and smiled “I didn’t fell off the charpoy Ma. I got down and came here” She went on to say “Ma see that red kite flying high in the sky. I made it. Montu is flying it”

Her mother stared at her in surprise. Then she said “I’m glad that you tried to move even if your legs did not support. It’s the determination which makes a person achieve everything he or she wants”

She said “Ma can I start my studies again?”

“Why not dear? I will go to your school and talk to the headmaster. I feel he will surely re-admit you in your class”

Nimmi smiled. She was happy. She knew she will be able to carry on her studies and fly high like the kite in the sky.