Feature
Holding Hands
Yamin Tauseef Jahangir
THE swing moves back and forth. The silhouetted figure of a two year old was visible, holding tightly onto the rusty chain, chanting and the sound turning into an ear splitting crescendo. As the sun shot the last of its golden rays in the evening sky, I could observe the steady approach of him; he was tired from the days work, but he insisted on meeting the child. May be he thought that could be his recreation, I wondered. Suddenly the chanting stopped, now I could see her enlightened face, as if she waited for a long time to see him. The expressions began to change, I saw a faint smile appearing on her face. Happiness, involving so many synonymous definitions, yet we find each to be so different from the other. The man stood in front of her. She raised her head to watch him closely. The child raised her hand in the air and he grabbed them and embraced her. The child was with her grandfather at last.
I was watching them closely for I somewhat found myself within the child. My small niece was making all kinds of gestures to my father and he was responding with great patience. It was a routine to search his shirt pockets and find what was in there. Being all so curious she slid her hand inside and successfully managed to get hold of a pen. Her eyes glowed with a spark and her reluctant attitude made it quite obvious for me to understand that she would be uncooperative in terms of letting it go. She kept her head upon his shoulder and my father began his lullaby. My niece was growing up and she was learning. From the time of our birth it is up to our parents to guide us, provide us all that is necessary for our well being. The cycle goes on, and it is being passed from one generation to the other. I know the things that I could not have during my time, I would definitely try her to get all kinds of support that she would need in her life. And in the process the presence of the child do make us change as well. It is always children who keep the family tied up in a single knot. As time fly by, the knot becomes stronger and we make more such knots in future thereby increasing the circle of family values.
I saw my father making his grandchild understand so many etiquettes already even tough she's small, starting from the basics. May be he did the same with me, for which, I now stand strong in life, with head held up high, facing the harsh realities of life in every corner, yet facing them boldly. He managed to make me have faith in religion, in family, made me learn attitudes and proper behaviours, just the way he did the same with my brother. As I stand into adulthood I recall his teachings in making me a better human being, to have a humane perception and lead a life by earning it. His hairs may have grown weaker roots, the eyes are now dilated, yet the vision is strong. The skin now provides the evidence of his experience, and I salute to that. His contribution in my life is needless to say cannot be described in to words, and I am for certain that the child on his lap would agree with me someday.
All that matters is holding hands, walking the path being lead by others, and learning. May be we all know this already, but the question is, how many of us are following them? Living up to parents' expectations is a challenge for all of us, some come out clean in this, while for the rest, it requires patience. Our parents have never let us down, so it is our turn to show our appreciation towards them, by serving them. Getting derailed is quite easy, but choosing a path being set for you as a guide, will always help you to be ethically aware of your deeds.
I looked at the crimson twilight, the end of another day and we wait for another dawn. Holding the sleeping angel my father motioned me to head back home. As we walked the child had her small fingers wrapped around her grandfather's index.
( The writer is a student of EWU)
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