MELTING MOMENTS

  Life lived to the fullest is a sense of satisfaction so when the time comes one can let go.

  The suns rays warmed her through the light cotton shawl draped over her frail shoulders.The fragrance of the herbs and bright colors of the flowers in her bower raised her spirits.Sipping her thin gruel she fell into reminiscing her childhood.

The only child of the Brahmin household she was raised in the lap of luxury, the family had but one regret,a male heir to continue the family tradition was unfulfilled.Her parents later reconciled to their fate and were happy that their healthy beautiful daughter showed promise. She was witty,quick,a happy spirit who danced and played with abandon.

Soon she was wed to a highly placed boy who had come to see brides,the rituals were hastily performed and before she knew it she was in USA.

          The days were long and the nights were short,she had to learn to cook,clean,wash,keep house,shop and do all housework as there were no maids and what else could she do.

Her partner was busy establishing himself in the new land and had little time or inclination to teach her to adapt herself in the new land.

Shy but diffident she soon decided to keep herself busy and following her heart and her skills learned back home took to making beautiful works of Art.

          Life went on and about six years later following her parents sudden passing she decided to come home.
The household looked forlorn and laid back,she set to work and soon put to right the household.

The field that once were full of greens waving with the breeze stood bare and the cattle and orchards were in ruin.

She now understood that her parents had lost the will to live as she had never come back.

Weighing her life and her priorities she made up her mind to stay on in her ancestral home and keep the property, running it and caring for the many people who were in their employ made her feel closer to her parents who loved the land and had willed it to her care.

      Heedless of the rumors and whisperings behind her back she put her efforts into restoring the home and fields.
Using her expertize acquired during her long stay overseas she soon worked out a solution to increase the yield and produce output per acre.Reading up on tissue culture she ordered 1000 banana saplings from floriculture center at  Trivandrum.

 The saplings arrived and she read up on the care and nurture of the many tiny baby plants--my babies-she decided she would care for them and poured all her maternal love and longings into their planting,fertilizing,watering,the initial period seemed wrought with tension and she spent long hours in the fields with her small group of loyal employees who had stood by her parents even when they were no longer involved in the land they loved.
Relating to their spirit she held meetings,discussions,heard out their opinions and they toiled tirelessly.
Sure enough, their devotion and sincerity were rewarded,the plant output and yield increased three fold.The income was enough to turn the tide and she next decided to try exotic orchids,fragrant flowers and even decorative plants.

  The revival was slow yet steady.All her love and longing went into methods of cultivation,she played soft music,talked to her plants,caressed them and told them of her barren existence,her love of live,the genealogy of her parents,they seemed to understand and thrived and bloomed.Soon the orders started pouring in and the word spread far and wide.

The Sharanya brand named after her parents Shar-adha and Anya-durai ,went from local to Pan India to International fame.

      Sixty years later,she still felt the joy and happiness and knew the family name will live on as every family that gets the flowers,fruits and plants from the now internationally famous house would be touched during happiness and even less happy moments would be lightened by the excellent blooms.

Her eyes closed gently and she floated freely into the nether world to join the spirit of her parents knowing they would be welcoming her with joy and pride.

She had ensured that the family name would live on.