Emotions were clouding Mohan’s mind, making it difficult for
him to fully involve himself in all that was happening around him.
He tried to
focus his attention on what his friend Vikram was saying.
Vikram repeated himself, “Was she ill before she died?”
Mohan replied “No. It happened suddenly. We thought she was
sleeping but found she was unresponsive and had already left us in the morning”
“It is good she did not suffer. And also she has live a good
life till the age of 99” said Vikram.
“Yes, that is true”, responded Mohan. He continued, his
voice catching “In fact, she used to say that she did not want to die in a hospital
in the midst of equipment and tubes. I remember her telling me happily a couple
of years back that she had met an astrologer who had told her she would die
peacefully in her sleep and will never be a burden on anyone”.
“She got her wish, and she managed all her needs herself
without troubling any one right till the end”, said Mohan.
“She was a remarkable person, a noble soul” said Vikram
softly. “I remember once many years back, I had visited your house in your
hometown. As I was also visiting, your grandfather told her to make some
pakodas well into the night. She immediately cooked some delicious fare even
though it was very late”.
“Yes, I know” said Mohan. Distressed he continued “Death is
so final. We will never get back her wisdom, patience, grace and strength.
There are so many times when she has been the pillar of strength for us”.
Just then Mohan’s 10 year old son Manoj comes running to him
and sits next to him. He sits next to Mohan and whispers to him “Who will tell
me stories now?”
“There will be others - me, your mother, your grandparents,
we are all there for that”, said Mohan.
“But, great grandma told the best stories”, said Manoj,
tears in his eyes.
Mohan’s wife Geeta holds Manoj, taking him away into the
room. As he goes with her, he asks “When will we next be able to meet great
grandma?”
Geeta replies slowly “Her memories will always be with us.
And we will meet her when God wants us to”.
“And when will God allow us to meet her?”, asked Manoj continuing with his questions.
“Manoj, we can only meet her when we also enter her
world. But we will meet her surely someday”, said Geeta.
“Then why don’t we also go to that world now itself?”, asked
Manoj.
Geeta hugged her son, gently telling him “That is in God’s
hands. He will choose the right time”.
Mohan dragged his eyes away from Manoj and Geeta as they
move away. He looks back at Vikram gathering his thoughts.
“You know we celebrated her 99th birthday two
months back. Since she has not been in good health, the thought crossed our
minds if she will see her next birthday when she would have completed 100 years.
She probably sensed it too”, said Mohan.
He paused, a wave of emotion hitting him, also brought on by
his son’s innocent questions. He bent his head down, trying to regain his
composure.
He looked up as he heard Vikram speak.
“What you just said is perfectly right, Mohan. Age is only a
number. It is not age a person leaves behind when he or she dies, but memories
and goodwill which stay forever”, said Vikram.
Mohan froze, staring ahead. Vikram looked at him concerned
“Mohan, you are clearly stressed. You need to get some rest”.
Mohan slowly shook his head, finding it difficult to believe
what had just happened. He had not spoken the words Vikram claimed he had. His
thought went back to his grandmother’s 99th birthday. His son had
remarked then “Great grandma, next year you will be 100!”. His grandmother had
replied smiling to the boy “Age is only a number. It is not age a person leaves
behind when he or she dies, but memories and goodwill”.
Mohan smiled. His grandmother’s spirits would be forever
with them, guiding them with wisdom, patience, grace and strength.
