The Voice Of Silence

“What happened, my dear?” I looked up at my mother’s face. I was shivering.  “I …I saw a bad dream” I stammered. Mother switched off the light and lied down close to me, the 17 year old.  “Didn’t you say your prayer?” mother asked. Yes, I had forgotten. Mother had taught it to me when I was young. Then I used to believe that bad dreams come only when mother wasn’t close to me.

Gradually my fear faded away. I recalled what happened that day. I was woken up by mother in the morning. There was hardly ten minutes for my school-bus to arrive. All my siblings who had woke up earlier left soon. I was furious and yelled at mother. Disappointed, I returned to bed quietly crying thinking that mother cared only for my siblings. But, minutes later mother came to me saying that she has arranged a taxi. I dressed up grumpily. While leaving, mother followed me till the gate with my youngest sister in one arm and my lunchbox in her other hand, but I refused to take it and snapped at her.

 In school, when my friend asked, “why didn’t you bring your mother’s puri?” I could only stare speechless at the sandwich I had bought from the school canteen. My mother’s was the tastiest food, it was flavored with love. The whole morning she had spent cooking. Her affection for her seven children had cast away her sleep. She had realized that I was sleeping only after she finished cooking. I was filled with regret.

When I returned from school she was at the door smiling. I felt relieved. Had she forgotten everything? After a hearty lunch I retired for my siesta. When I woke up at four, mother kindly asked me to prepare the dinner and left for an important meeting. After she left I enjoyed five hours continuously. Mother had returned by the time I entered kitchen. She quietly started preparing dinner. Her silence disturbed me. I just wished she scolded me.

Suddenly I woke up from my thoughts. My mother’s fingers were moving softly through my hair. I wanted to ask forgiveness. I twisted restlessly. “Again a bad dream?” my mother’s voice broke the silence. I couldn’t speak. I just hugged her and slowly fell into the world of good dreams.