The child slept in the make
shift cradle attached to two trees. It was tied with a rope from one end of a
tree to another tree both standing nearly four feet apart. The child’s mother
earned her daily wage by making various things out of clay. She made small toys
in the shape of dogs, cats, lion, birds and into various other forms of beasts.
She moulded the clay in her
clay maker which she worked manually. She was so engrossed in her work that she
forgot about her child in the cradle made of soft cloth. She herself forgot to
eat most of the time being completely involved in her clay work.
It was not her fault. She
did that to earn money and live with her child with the necessary comforts of
life. She worked hard; turning the clay into different shapes, putting them out
in the sun for two days or more until it was completely dry and then painting
onto these clay figures – eyes, ears, nose, mouth and attached colour coded
broomsticks for horns and teeth and soft thread for hair to highlight the
overall feature of the toys of varied shapes and colours.
She was blessed though with
a quiet child who cried only when hungry but otherwise was silent and sleepy as
though the child understood what her mother was doing. The mother was glad too
that her child was not bothering her much because her work required complete
attention to detail. People wouldn’t buy her art if they noticed any defect be
it a minute one. Her hard work would only count if they were spotlessly
perfect.
Every feature had to have a
detailed perfection. She toiled the whole day to make her creations as perfect
as possible but being human, she made mistakes and had to redo the whole
process but though it was pain and hard work yet for her, it coined out to be a
way of getting a good life in the future.
She wanted her child to live
in the comforts she had always wanted and for which she had dedicated her whole
life.
The nature played an angelic
god – mother to the hard working mother’s sleeping child.
She sang a lullaby to the
child whenever the child was awake and restless. A lullaby that the child’s
mother, busy in the worldly things did not have time for.
Everyday the child’s mother
would swing the cradle a few times uttering loving words to her before
continuing with her work and would come at regular intervals to check upon her
sleeping baby.
The mother worried little
about her child as she slept peacefully with a tiny smile playing on her lips.
She never wondered why her child always slept with a beautiful smile on her
face but why wouldn’t the child, having been lulled to sleep by the greatest
mother of all beings: Mother Nature.
When the entire nature sang
sweet melodies for the child, why wouldn’t the child sleep peacefully. The
melody which came from the heart of the nature and the voice of a mother. The
child who had been sleeping in a dark world for nine months was welcomed into
this world of light with arms wide open by another mother who vouched to
protect her.
The trees, the wind, the
sun, the moon, all played with her when she lay awake in her small cradle. They
themselves took various forms and neared her cradle and as soon as she raised
her tiny hands to catch them, they disappeared.
The child giggled and made
her mother come running toward her. Seeing her smile, the mother’s heart filled
with joy. In this way, nature took care of the young one as well as her mother,
for, some years ago she had welcomed the same young mother into her arms as a
baby.
The trees branches held
together the ropes that tied the cradle to itself tightly to prevent any mishap
from happening. For if anything was to happen, she wouldn’t be able to forgive
even though she wouldn’t be blamed as she was the silent unseen protector of
all creatures.
The wind gently swayed the
cradle acting as a rocking tool. The child with her eyes open surveyed the new
world that she was in with her tiny eyes. A world where she would soon learn to
walk, talk, run, work, grow up and produce her next generation, who just like
her will be care for and nurtured by a mother other than just herself.
The trees shed their leaves
slowly and covered the child’s body. It became a warm blanket for the child to
roll around in without hurting herself. The sun shined brightly but the trees
provided enough shade to protect the child yet allowing her to see the sun
smiling at her.
The whole world was by the
child’s bedside. She was not lonely when her mother was not by her side. The
nature gave her company when her mother was away and herself went away when the
mother returned from her work and took the child in her arms.
At night too, the child lay
next to her mother and whenever she looked up at the open, wide sky, the stars
and the moon played around to bring about a smile on her face.
A smile that spread the word of love all
around.
The clouds too played a part
in the child’s night dreams. It took various shapes: monkeys, birds, elephants,
clowns and in its own language made the child smile and helped her have a
peaceful night sleep.
The nature with all its
elements works to make everyone around them happy and peaceful. They are
present when we are happy and are also present when we are sad. Always by our
side, an invisible force which helps us in our path and motivates us to achieve
our dreams and welcome us in their world with a warm loving heart.
She carried only one wish,
that we don’t forget her when we grow up and protect her as she protected us,
for being in this world connected us to each other, heart and soul.
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