A pinwheel story

I am carrying a laptop bag and a heavy bag, trying to board an overcrowded train and take two pinwheels home for my daughter. Brightly coloured pink and purple pinwheels — it was love at first sight and I couldn’t wait till I got it home to my daughter.

I had kept the pinwheels in the side pouch of my laptop bag so that it wouldn’t get crushed. I had brought it safely up to the railway station, braving the strong winds inside a speeding autorickshaw. Boarding the train was the next hurdle I was preparing myself for. After squeezing myself into the train, keeping my luggage and settling into my seat, I realised that my pinwheels are lost. Panic kicks in. Where could I have lost them? Did it fall off while I was boarding the train, could someone have taken it from my bag? I felt like a three-year-old who just lost her candy. I couldn’t contain my disappointment. I rush to the train door to see if I can find it on the platform, but it’s not there. I look around on the train. After around half an hour of searching, I give up. There is disappointment, but I tell myself: what if there is another child who is playing with it right now. And maybe the child is giggling and laughing, playing with it. I try to pacify myself, though the feeling of losing it did keep bugging me.

Two hours later (still disappointment looming inside), I get up from my seat. I pick up my baggage, and I tell myself it’s okay. But not the one to give up, I chose to listen to my inner voice that tells me what is yours will be yours. I choose to look for it again. And this time, guess what? I did find it. It fell off when I was trying to place my bag in the upper compartment and a passenger had kept it safe. I guess he must have looked around for a child to hand it over to and not expected me to show up and claim it.

As happy as I could be, I get back home and tell my daughter all about my little adventure. This happened a few months ago. My daughter lost interest in the pinwheels within two days. But I keep it safe. Because it reminds me of the power of not giving up, and the soft voice that told me that what is yours will surely come back to you.

gopikagpn@gmail.com