MOTHER’S DAY 

                                                          - P. kRISHNAMOORTHY

The eastern horizon was crimson red and the rising sun was a splendid spectacle.  On the outskirts of Dehradun, India, children at the Orphanage of Mother Theresa were preparing for their daily activities.  Rebecca, a mute girl of ten, and one among the eighty residents observed the daily-sheet calendar hanging on the wall. Her mood quickly changed from being high spirited to melancholy. Some years earlier on the same day she became an orphan - the anniversary of her beloved mother’s death. She quickly formulated a plan. Prior to her mother’s demise, she had lost her father in a road accident. Dressing hurriedly, she surreptitiously left the orphanage to execute her plan. About a kilometer away, she reached a shop that carried a variety of flowers. Many people walked in and out of the shop as it was Mothers’ Day. As her mother died on a mother's day, she felt it was important for her to get at least one rose to her mother. But  she had no money to buy even that one rose. Yet she was very optimistic and hoping that a good Samaritan would get her that flower. So she waited patiently for some  miracle to happen.

Dr. Stephan, a well-known surgeon in his mid-thirties, was leaving the florist shop when Rebecca saw him carrying a single rose in his hand. .On hearing his cell phone ringing,  momentarily he stopped to answer the call. The rose fell from his hand and landed next to Rebecca.   She thought it was providential answer  for her prayers.  Picking up the flower, she held it close to her heart and eagerly looked at the doctor for his reaction. With tears in her eyes, she promptly conveyed her emotional  feelings. There was a moment of suspense. Though the doctor was listening to the call, his eyes were focused on the emotional appeal that she projected. The rose was a gift for his ailing mother. But this child’s desire to keep the flower was strange to him.  He could not imagine any  good reason for it. He came close to her, and  asked her name. Rebecca was terrified at first. However, in sign language with her fingers, she managed to convey that she was a dumb. In addition, she scribbled her name on the ground. In her sign language she also conveyed that  she offered the rose to her late mother on mother's day. The doctor got moved and  felt compassionate for her. He took her in his car to her mother's cemetry. 

She never expected that she would get so much help in accomplishing her dream. As they walked towards his car, she was jubilant. After a ride of fifteen minutes, she wanted the Doctor to stop the car. They had reached a cemetery. They both got out of the car and walked toward a grave.  Rebecca placed the single rose on it.  The name inscribed on the stone marker of the grave was Evelyn George.  On her knees, she offered prayers for her mother.  With tear-filled eyes, the sincerity she displayed greatly impressed the Doctor. Again, with fingers, she thanked him profusely for his help in fulfilling her mission - first, by giving her the rose intended for his dear mother and then for bringing her to the cemetery. On their return to the Orphanage, he met the warden.  He described their visit to the cemetery, and the prayers Rebecca had offered to her mother’s grave. Regina, a dear friend of Rebecca in the orphanage, ,was standing close by. She hugged Rebecca intensely and led her inside. During their interaction, the doctor observed that Regina was blind. that was bothering him very dearly. 

On reaching home he wished his mother a Happy Mothers’ Day with a bouquet of flowers that he’d purchased from the florist on his way home. However, he was extremely disturbed when he thought about Rebecca’s disability and that of her close friend Regina, both at such a young age. He applauded Rebecca’s tenacity in accomplishing her sincere desire despite her disability. He foresaw challenges they would have to face to be successful in life. Parental guidance and affection were necessary to mold children to lead better adult lives. He was married but had no issues. It was strange that he felt such a strong bond with Rebecca. The social stigma of his childlessness often troubled him and had deeply blemished his identity;  but his work was a good replacement for him.  His surgical and medical commitments made him dwell less on a subject that was bothering him. The sudden entry of Rebecca in his life led him to think of  adopting her. When he discussed the subject to his wife, she instantly gave her consent. His ailing mother also endorsed the idea of adopting Rebecca. He would do some research to ascertain whether Rebecca’s disability began at birth or occurred later during a serious illness. 

The Doctor paid another visit to the Orphanage to discuss the possibility of adopting Rebecca. This development in Rebecca’s life pleased the Administrator immensely, for Rebecca would now have better opportunities in life. After doing his research, the Doctor found that the problem began in Rebecca’s seventh year when she suffered a bout of prolonged high fever.  At his clinic, she underwent a series of medical and speech tests.  It was determined that surgery could be performed on her vocal cord to restore normal speech. With the appropriate formalities completed, the surgery was performed. She remained in the hospital for two weeks. Recuperation and speech therapy sessions soon followed, and Rebecca was able to speak. The doctor initiated the required paperwork with the Orphanage for legal adoption. With the court’s consent, Rebecca became his adopted daughter and fulfilled his wish to have a complete family.

These events had taken place over a period of many months. Later, when the doctor was assigned to serve in the Defence Hospital in Srinagar, Kashmir, he moved his entire family there for a temporary stay of six months. Rebecca had never dreamt about a miracle of such magnitude. More than anything, she now enjoyed her speaking ability and became a good conversationalist with her new friends. In school, she also proved to be a bright student. At home, she was loved. She seemed very healthy and grown-up. In her morning prayers, she appealed to the Lord to bless the residents of the Orphanage and to grant them better lives. Their welfare was important to her. She also thanked Him for giving her new parents. 

The assignment in Srinagar came to an end and the return to their former home, created much excitement for Rebecca, particularly the thought of meeting old pals in the orphanage. She was more than happy that the day of  her arrival would be a Mothers’ Day. She cherished her old memories. Accompanied by her adopted parents, she would go to the cemetery  and place a bouquet of flowers on her mother’s grave as a normal girl without any earlier disability.  This time she would speak at her mother's grave dreaming her mother could listen.

Rebecca came to the cemetery with her parents as scheduled.  As they entered the cemetery, she noticed a group of people assembled by her mother’s grave. The pastor  was reciting prayers when she recognized a warden from the Orphanage was among the mourners. Eager to know whose death had occurred, she came close to the warden and was told  that the body had already been interred. As soon as she heard the name of the person, she felt as if a big clap of thunder had landed on her head. She became unconscious. The deceased was her close pal Regina. When the doctor made an inquiry, he was informed that Regina had had a massive seizure and a stroke during the night. She was alone in the room with no immediate help, and found dead that morning. With the doctor’s help, Rebecca recovered but emotionally appeared very sad.  The bouquet of flowers intended for her mother,  she offered them with prayers at Regina’s grave.  In tears, she bid adieu to her close friend with a message “Life is a mixed bag of variables like  cheers and tears”.