HOPE ATTRACTS HOPE

Since the last ten days, the second-floor corner room has been silent. No one listens neither chirping sound of sparrow-pair who nested in the tree outside near the front window of the room nor the chirpy voice of Shalini. Who is Shalini? A smart, social and sensitive twenty-six years old girl who is doing hard work to crack IAS examination for the last three years. An elder daughter of a farmer father who has sent her Delhi to beat the national competition after selling all his land property. He only wants her to become a Collector who would bring prosperity to his village. Up to his expectation, Shalini had put all her sincere and honest efforts in the last three attempts. Unfortunately every time she lost the success only by five to six marks.

When ten days back result was declared, Shalini could not control herself. She was lost. She immediately locked herself in this paying guest room by switching off her cell phone. By chance same day, her roommate sparrow-pair did not come back to their nest in the evening. She became totally alone.

Her all dreams of making a big pucca house in place of her village mud house, of opening a girls school at her village and of taking her parents on India-tour got perished. She is lying down on the bed staring at the terrace. While her tears are rolling down the pillow, she has embraced herself tightly to fight with the loneliness. She finds herself in desolation to think how she would face her father, who frequently says that my daughter would make me proud one day and on that day I will dance in my silk Kurta and distribute desi ghee laddoo among all the villagers. Shalini gets thrilled to imagine how her relatives and villagers would taunt her mother and comment that why you people are expecting to fulfil your dream from your girl? How can a girl be a fruitful and money-making asset like a boy? Why are you wasting your hard earned money on a girl who is not eligible to give you return back as well as to run your dynasty?

There is nobody to wipe away her tears though she is very clear on one point that if tears are hers then its reasons must be hers. So she has to make her way out on own, not with the help of others.

Suppressing her tears she could not notice when she fell asleep. After so many days she again saw her childhood dream where she is flying in the sky with a beautiful and brave bird high to higher assuming that sky has no limit. She is making continuous efforts to touch the height while going up, going upper and upper.

Her eyes are getting strained by sunlight and by some sound too. Sound? Which sound? Shalini woke up and her eyes flashed with joy as she saw her roommate sparrow-pair in their nest with a third member-a baby sparrow. She jumped to pamper them and for a minute she forgot all her failures and grief.

Very quickly she became active to arrange water and eatables for her roommates who have just returned. Oh! When they can return even after ten days if they would have been lost their way then why not me. Shalini is thinking that if I can achieve more than a hundred marks in the competition then why not five or six marks more to touch the height. How dare is these five or six digits capable to make me cry and fail. No way! Success matters no matter how many failures.

Now Shalini’s face is radiant and her eyes are glowing with new determination expanding more commitment and intensity.

The second-floor corner room now has been filled with the hopes by both sounds-chirping of sparrow family and chirpy voice of the future IAS officer Shalini.

Message - One hope attracts another hope and hope is a lifeline for everyone and everywhere.