Realization

Sheena woke up with all smiles and got ready for the school. She was jubilant since the last evening. She was over the moon. Her father had agreed to send her for the school tour to Kodaikanal for three days. She started dreaming about her travel in the night-long train for the first time with her friends, her stay with them in the hotel room, sight-seeing, shopping, boating…….. one thing after another came to her mind. She had already decided on the dresses that she should wear during the trip. She had also decided to get herself a pair of slippers from her savings. All her memories were around the Kodaikanal trip from the time when her father assured her to arrange the money for the trip, by hook or by crook. After all, for the first time in her life, she was going to go for a trip along with her friends. She will be in the sixth grade by next year. Since her present school offer only up to primary education, she and her friends have to move to different schools for the sixth grade. Afterward, they can no longer meet. Sheena thought it is a good idea to spend a reasonable time with her friends and then bid a farewell to them.

Sheena reached the bus stop. As usual, she started thinking about her trip while waiting for the bus .She thought that she should confirm her teacher about her participation in the trip as soon as she reaches the school. All of a sudden, a loud voice shook her out of her reverie. A biker, who stopped at the bus stop, was talking loudly in his mobile phone. Sheena was quietly eaves dropping on his conversation. “How long will you take to return back the money? You borrowed the money to pay the picnic fee of your son and promised to return it back in one month. It’s been three months since you took the money and gave only few thousands as the interest. You don’t even earn enough to meet out your personal expenses. Then, why do you send your son for the tour? Knowing your status, your son should confine to your home. At least, you should’ve told him that he should not fancy such pleasures, given the fact that his father is capable of earning only peanuts. No matter what, if you don’t settle the money along with the interests before today evening, I will take all the goods from your home and sell it”. After a heated conversation, the biker started his vehicle and flew away.

Sheena returned home. She walked up to her father and told him in a firm tone “dad, I don’t want to go to the trip”. Her father looked at the child strangely.

The story of a businessman

The train was pulling out of the Trichy junction. Manikandan iyer, a 65 year old man was looking at his emotionally driven co-passengers waving hands to their friends and relatives those who were standing in the platform.Many of them had last minute messages like call me as soon as you reachChennai , take good care of the child, see you next week and so on. The train started moving fast and slowly the station went out of the sight.

Mr.Iyer comfortably leaned towards the window and enjoyed the view of the passing fields and fertile lands. As the train was moving, he had taken a ride down his memory lane. A tenth passed-out, mani iyer started his life as a delivery boy . He was employed in a food colors and essence manufacturing agency for a meagre salary. Hailing from a middle class family, Mani iyer learned to lead a simple life. But with the virtue of hardwork and persistence,he had grown to become a propriator of a food color manufacturing company when he turned just twenty-five.

He was married to Padmavathy, a good natured and simple girl. They also had two sons and one daughter. After several years, they got their daughter, Janani married and had put their elder son,Seetha Raman in a medical college. Their younger son Rajesh was studying in school.Because of the twist of the fate, his wife Padmavathy left this world leaving behind a 20-year old and a ten-year old sons and her forty-year old husband Manikandan. Helpless Manikandan was greif-ridden for several months and his attention was completed diverted from his business, due to the sudden demise of his dear wife and added family burden. Unable to see him juggling too many roles, his widow sister, Alamelu offered him a helping hand in managing the home. Poor Manikandan had to face the vagaries of life and forced to get back to his business.

His troubles did not stop there. His ten-year old son, Rajesh was diagnosed with mental illness and shock due to the sudden loss of his mother. Manikandan was clueless .He had a tough time in both home and business fronts. At this juncture, Alamelu came up with a suggestion. She suggested Manikandan to remarry. Only it will bring all the troubles to an end. Though Alamelu could manage the home, she felt that a bride could only give a new lease of life to her poor brother and his home. so, in a strict tone, she said that she needs assistance in managing home and only a new bride could fill the place of his wife and not her. Manikandan had no other choice and he paid heed to his sister.

In a month's time, Alamelu found 28-year old Pushkala, daughter of a widowed woman, Dhanalakshmi. Pushkala's family was struggling to make the ends meet. Her mother was working as a cook to win the daily bread for her family. Pushkala was the second child to her parents and had a elder sister, two younger brothers and a younger sister.Though her elder sister was married, her husband was also not economically forward to support this family. Alamelu who understood the state of Pushkala's family, offered to support the family on the account of Pushkala marrying her brother. Dhanalakshmi had already heared of Manikandan, a budding businessman, who was known for his hardwork and discipline. So she came to a conclusion that she can bring her family out of poverty only by marrying Pushkala to this middle-aged widow man.Also Pushkala was well past her marriageable age and Dhanalakshmi had no hope of getting her daughter married with her meagre income. Pushkala was too innocent to even understand the sacrifice that she was making for the well-being of both the families.

Pushkala and Manikandan got married. In few years, Manikandan had opened an eponymous chain of stores across three towns.Pushkala and Manikandan had four sons and one daughter for them. As Alamelu promised,Pushkala's family was completely supported by Manikandan. All her siblings were married and after their marriage, Manikandan and Pushpa assumed the role of their parents. Manikandan became a big business magnet and Pushpa and Manikandan lived happily ever after.

Which is beauty ?

The door bell rang. Vandana rushed to open the door. It was the courier boy. "Madam courier for Mr. Shekar" he said. "Ya he is my father only , can i have it ?"said Vandana .The boy nodded his head and showed a blue paper ."Please sign this madam"he said.Vandana signed and collected the courier. It was from that marriage matching company in which mama and papa had registered her name two days back. They had sent few suitable horoscopes .Not only in this marriage matching company, vandana's name was registered with all marriage matching companies across the city and also in most of the marriage portals. Added to this, they had also advertised in various publications but for no avail. All the marriage proposals would only reach the bridal meet, a ceremony where the prospective bridegroom and bride and their families would meet up. There was no progress at all. The neighbors and relatives had started talking ill of vandana and her family.Vandana was extremely unhappy. she had many sleepless nights and the entire family was grief-ridden.

Vandana was an extremely intelligent girl blessed with multiple talents. She was the top-ranker in her university. Apart from studies, she was also good at singing and hand works. She was also a good writer . She had won several prizes for her short stories and poems. Her stories and articles have got published in many top-of-the-line magazines and newspapers.She was aslo an active participant in music and dance competitions during her school and college days. The cups and shields in her room itself would vouch for her talents. But because of the twist of the fate ,she was not very beautiful. Atleast,in a world where people are not ready to see the internal beauty of a person ,she was not very beautiful. The dark skin ,short and slim frame and the big nose makes her appearance less appealing.Consequently,all the prospective bridegrooms turned down the marriage proposal. Vandana lost the belief that she would get married.But she had to flaunt a happy look for the sake of her parents.

Days rolled on. One day vandana started to her office by her car. Unusually, the road was clear of traffic . she could reach her office ten minutes earlier than her usual time. She parked her car and reached the office entrance. The reception was empty. She browsed through some magazines and newspapers in the stand. With an intention of having some coffee , she marched towards the pantry. Suddenly, she stopped at the doorstep of the pantry hearing the mention of her name. " Vandana madam may be nominated for this year's best employee award "said one voice. It must be the HR Head Rajesh."Ya, she deserves it" said the programme analysts, Gayathri. Vandana understood that her collegeues are talking about her in a casual early morning talk. She further tuned her ears to the conversation."she is a nice person yaar.For her calibre and richness , no woman would be this humble"said the receptionist Anusha. Slowly their conversation turned towards other topics. Vandana was surprised. There was not even a single mention about her looks. Neither her dark complexion nor her slim frame was counted against her talent. Now, Vandana understood that the real beauty is inside . she also blamed herself for being critical about herself. She also had a sense of belief that a man who could see her inner sense of beauty would marry her soon. It was not a long time, her belief turned a reality very soon.

Little Tom Story

Once there was a little boy called Tom . He had a friend by name Sam. During one sunny holiday, Tom and Sam went to beach to have fun .In their pursuit of having fun , they had completely forgotten their home work. Their class teacher Mrs. Jerry was a strict person. Tom and Sam had committed a mistake by not doing the home work. So back home, Tom wrote a letter to Mrs.Jerry to forgive his mistake. On the other hand, Sam was thinking for fake reasons to rationalize his mistake.

On the next morning, Mrs. Jerry entered the class . As soon as she entered ,she asked the children to submit their home assignments . Tom apologized and gave her the letter and ensured not repeating this again. The generous Mrs. Jerry had forgiven him and adviced not to repeat the mistake. Without knowing this , poor Sam told her that he was not feeling well. The angry Mrs. Jerry told him that she had already known the truth through Tom and she can always forgive a mistake but not a lie. So she gave hundred times imposition of a English prose to Sam.

Moral: Be truthful even if you commit a mistake.Mistakes teach us lessons.