Glory In Making...

Kirti stood there gazing at the moon and her eyes brimming with tears. She worked as a domestic help at the Kapoor’s. A domestic help… that meant no freedom, no education… in short, no life!

She had always thought that her master was a good man. That night was different. He returned home, completely drunk! When all the others in the family had slept, Mr. Kapoor entered Kirti’s room and had sexually assaulted her!

‘What did I do to deserve such a fate? My mother deserted me when I was four and ever since then I have been struggling… for a living, for a respectable life. They say my mom was a prostitute and call her names. I never wanted to be someone like her and hence, I ran away from all of them. And today again I am at one such juncture in my life… I am being forced in to something that I know will ruin my life forever! Help me lord… and tell me, do you think I deserve this?’ she cried giving rise to a million other questions inside her.

She was sure of at least one thing… she was not weak. She was a fighter!

The wind started to blow and the dark clouds made way for the moon to appear. She raised her head to see the moon beaming and smiling at her. She remained perplexed for the next few minutes, unsure of what these signals meant.

Suddenly she felt a comforting touch on her shoulder. The old lady sat next to Kirti and asked her the reason behind her tears. Kirti told her everything that she witnessed and felt. The old lady patiently listened to everything and she hugged the little girl.

‘What is your name my child?’ the old lady enquired.

‘My problem is much bigger right now that these silly things like my name… can you please help me? Anyway, my name is Kirti’ she said feeling irritated and traumatized.

‘Kirti means glory… and there will be a day when the whole world will know you. You are hurt, I understand. But I know you are not weak. Life means struggle… each one of us face it at one point or the other. And trust me, every problem has a solution and your problem has its own.’

The old lady took Kirti with her to the little home that she ran for homeless children. Kirti found a new home where she was made to study, to learn other vocational activities which would help her in future.

At times when she felt low and lonely, she would walk to the same place and would gaze at the moon and see moon would be back smiling at her. Kirti had found a new life for herself; she knew it that she would make it big one day! She promised to herself that she would prove everyone wrong who said that a prostitute’s daughter would have to be a prostitute herself. Glory in making!

Crossposted from The Writers Lounge