This is in response to Esther’s Weekly Word Prompt.
This week’s prompt: Family
From Grief To Growth
Epilogue
As my nephew and niece-in-law have been blessed with a baby girl on the 12th of this month my sister is with them at present.
December is the month in which, apart from all the festive occasions, most birthdays in our family fall.
23.12.2025
My birthday and also sadly the day my mother left for heavenly abode. To spend the day without family, to say the least, was taxing!!
I wanted to do something different and meaningful.
As pre-planned, I took a two hour journey by cab for a three day visit to my school buddy.
***
My friend’s place is big and beautiful.
She is a renowned danseuse and teaches kathak to girls of various age groups.
After lunch and a short rest, we attended a powerful and effective session of meditation accompanied by a series of positive affirmations in the evening.
We returned healed and at peace.
24.12.2025
An enriched evening of an hour long dance recital choreographed by the students.
The programme, attended by the parents and senior/former students, ended with the participants and their seniors talking about their journey of learning Kathak and various other life lessons and skills.
25.12.2025
We undertook an hour and a half long drive by cab to an Ashram which shelters girls belonging to the economically weaker section of society. Some of them are orphans too.
Spread over six acres and supported by many families, the Ashram is run by a well known spiritual cum philanthropic organization.
We had a long interaction with Sadhu Maa – the administrative head.
The Ashram facilitates the girls to get educated and employed.
Before leaving we handed over packed boxes of assorted snacks and a few other items which were required for the inmates.
The atmosphere of the Ashram was peaceful but we felt a bit depressed.
However, it was also very satisfying that we could do some good deed on the auspicious occasion of Christmas.
Prologue
Family is like a vast umbrella covering under its shade immediate blood relations, friends and also other like minded people with whom we share a bond of mutuality.
At my friend’s, I interacted with some very lovely people and of course dear old Dhatin , my buddy’s gentle and peace loving Golden Retriever.
The stay, though brief, the calming company of my friend, our joint efforts at healing and our humble endeavour to give back to society helped my personal grief to be channelized into a spirit of upliftment and growth.
