STORYMIRROR

Turning A New Leaf

Turning A New Leaf

3 mins
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Manu was feeling uneasy. It was the day when his grandmother refused to get up from bed saying she did not feel like and wanted to keep lying. He remembered the doctor especially telling his parents that it is important for the old lady to walk as it is a good exercise for her and as the lady is feeling low and should be handled lovingly.

Manu’s grandmother came to live with them around a month back. Manu and his grandmother enjoyed each other’s company immensely but for the few days grandmother would talk less and reminiscence more about the days gone by. She had lost connection with her friendship networks and found it difficult to initiate new friendships in the city.

Though grand ma asked Manu to leave her alone but Manu remembered that grand ma would never leave him alone when he would be unwell. Manu was pained to see grand ma like this as he had been the recipient of her selfless love and care so often.

As Manu lived in an apartment, he had a lot of friends. He would spend his entire evening playing with them.

He and his parents again called the grandmother during dinner time but she asked for the dinner in bed. Manu’s parents and Manu got really worried. So they all decided to eat dinner in her room only. This brought some color to the old lady’s face but later again she retired to the bed and spoke very little.

Manu realized that the only time his grandmother’s face would lit up when she would speak of her days

in her old house. She led a very productive life earlier. She used to spend a lot of time attending to the plants and feeding birds. But since the time she came to the city she was not able to do both the works as the apartment was small and on second floor. This also restricted the old lady’s movement as she had arthritis also.

Next day he asked his mother to allow him to take leave from the school and accompany him to the market. Afternoon time after lunch, he went to his grandmother and insisted her to get up as he wanted to show her something. After a lot of coaxing she got up feeling feeble and weak, and looked at the balcony. She was surprised to see a wooden bird house hanging and lot of pots with green plants.

For the first time in so many days Manu saw a glint in grand ma’s eyes. She kept on looking at the things longingly and then asked feebly to Manu to keep a bowl of water also for any bird that was thirsty. She asked Manu to water the plants daily.

Next day when Manu came back from school, he was surprised to see grand ma sitting on the chair in the balcony and adoringly looking at the two pigeons who were feasting on the rice grains she had put on the floor. She was also trying to adapt to the city living very much like the birds.

Manu hugged her and in his mind decided that he would reduce his outings with friends and spend more time with his grand ma who was looking better. “Green therapy’ had done the trick.


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