IRON IN HER SOUL, NOT IN HER BLOOD

Durga Puja. Maha Ashtami.
“Vidya samastastava devi veda, Striya samastah sakala jagatsu”** went the chanting, with the rhythmic beats of the dhak at the background.
Bharati stood silently, holding onto her crippled child, staring with awe at the grand image of the Goddess Durga, the idol of strength personified. Along with an ardent prayer, there was also a tinge of identification in her expression. Did she feel the strength of the Goddess within herself?
Bharati, a frail looking ordinary Indian woman was a young mother of three girls—the youngest being a congenitally crippled child of seven. This 3rd childbirth had been a disgrace to the family—so the 22 year old, sickly and malnourished Bharati had been dumped with her three kids at her parents’ place, where again she was just a great burden, borne with much resentment. What was Bharati’s fate? Plunging into utter darkness and gradual demolition? No. Young and frail, Bharati had the courage to live, the guts to hope. Or maybe, she was too big a fool to despair. With her utterly impractical hopefulness she ran from post to pillar with her 1.8 kg deformed newborn, struggling for her survival. It meant long queues at the hospital outdoor, even longer waits at the local leader’s office for a BPL card. At the end of a long wait a ray of hope would prompt her to run again—now to an orthopaedic surgeon, then to a physiotherapist; once to a neurologist, later to a special educator. The race was un-ending, but tire she knew not of. In between all this she had to keep her job as a domestic help to provide for herself and her kids. Her day started at 5 AM: household chores, feeding the children & sending them to school, then rushing to the apartment she worked at. Washing, cleaning, scrubbing continued till she sought a break to run to the hospital for the little baby. Coming back home at 2PM, cooking a fast lunch for the children, she would again rush off to work. Later in the evening, she would return home, only to find loads of chores still waiting for her. Her food? Yes, bits here & there were her fill.
This is how days, months & years have been passing for Bharati. In the mean time the deformed, distorted child had miraculously survived and was growing up. The bud, which seemed destined to be nipped, was blooming! Yes, a miracle indeed. She had learnt to sit, to stand and walk (of course with the support device Bharati had managed to buy with her petty savings), to talk, sing, read & write! The greatest miracle was that she had a brilliant brain. She was going to school now and doing real well. Still deformed with a defective gait and grip, she was excelling in everything: studies, music, elocution, even drawing! A winner in all, she was now a real wonder, vibrant and happy, full of life. And behind her was the real winner: Bharati.
Now, after seven long years, her family, her husband, her in-laws all realized her potentiality. The hidden strength & ability in this apparently frail and foolish speck of a girl was evident now. She had it in her—the Iron Will.

Bharati depicts the true picture of an ordinary Indian woman with iron in her soul: the manifestation of the Goddess of Shakti in her. “Ya Devi sarva bhuteshu shakti rupena sangsthita….. Ya Devi sarva bhuteshu matri rupena sangsthita” Devi manifests as shakti, as a mother. This is why we hear Swami Vivekananda proclaim “The real shakti worshipper is he who knows that God is the omnipresent force of the universe and sees in the woman the manifestation of that force.
Yet sadly enough, the Bharatis of our country do have the strong will of Ma Durga, but what of Her rosy cheeks? They are replaced by a pale, sunken facies. Had a little of the iron from Bharati’s soul trickled to her blood, the haemoglobin would have risen to an acceptable level. But, unfortunately, neglect from day one has prevented that.
The Bharatis of our Bharat are born unwanted into the family and grow up as a by-product. They are deprived of nutrition at all levels: the mother’s milk, the family food, nutritional additives, all. Illness is inadequately attended to, what to speak of convalescence. Education is considered an extravagancy. Then at a tender pubertal age they are wed off or rather, got rid of. She now lands up in a life of greater deprivation and oppression, from the frying pan to the fire. Added to this comes the brunt of an underage pregnancy, again with very little medical attention. The ordeal continues with childbirth, lactation, another pregnancy, a new member. Yet one more…and one more… the story goes on. The net result is that she gets drained of all vitality—severe anaemia is the ultimate picture.
This is the sad story of the common Indian woman, all our Bharatis, who have iron in their soul but lack it in their blood. Our energy sources are thus being reduced to weaklings, and every single Indian should feel responsible for this negligence & deprivation of women. To quote Swami Vivekananda once more, “That nation which does not respect women has never become great and never will ever be in future…. The uplift of women must come first and then only can any real good come about for the country, for India”


** You are in every woman in the universe as her beauty, her knowledge, her modesty.

WHAT EVERY MOTHER SHOULD KNOW

Was my baby healthy at birth?
“Dear Mom, you brought me into this new land, don’t you want to know how I’m feeling?” this is what the newborn baby seems to be saying imploringly.
Sure, the new mother should be abreast of her baby’s condition:
• What’s his birth weight?
• Is he premature?
• Did he cry after birth?
• Is he feeding properly?
• Is he sick?
• Does he have any abnormality?
• Does he need any special treatment?
During the baby’s stay in the hospital it is preferred that the mother be constantly involved in the baby care. This early mother-child bonding is the 1st step of early intervention to support normal development.

Is my child developing normally?
This is a question that comes to every mother’s mind as she fondly cradles her baby. But unfortunately, very few have a clear concept of the developmental milestones and we professionals fail to provide the required information to them.
In an attempt to make up for this shortfall, I put forth here a simple list of achievements of your little master, for you mothers to go through:
At three months of age, most babies:
• turn their heads toward bright colors and lights
• move both eyes in the same direction together
• respond to their mother's voice
• make cooing sounds
• bring their hands together
• wiggle and kick with arms and legs
• lift head when on stomach
• become quiet in response to sound, especially to speech
• smile
At six months of age, most babies:
• follow moving objects with their eyes
• turn toward the source of normal sound
• reach for objects and pick them up
• switch toys from one hand to the other
• play with their toes
• recognize familiar faces
• imitate speech sounds
• respond to soft sounds, especially talking
• roll over
At 12 months of age, most babies:
• get to a sitting position
• pull to a standing position
• stand briefly without support
• crawl
• imitate adults using a cup or telephone
• play peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake
• retrieves a hidden toy
• wave bye-bye
• put objects in a container
• say at least one word
• make "ma-ma" or "da-da" sounds
At 18 months of age, most children:
• like to push and pull objects
• say at least six words
• follow simple directions ("Bring the ball")
• pull off shoes, socks and mittens
• can point to a picture that you name in a book
• feed themselves
• make marks on paper with crayons
• walk without help
• point, make sounds, or try to use words to ask for things
• say "no," shake their head, or push away things they don't want
At two years of age, most children:
• use two-to-three-word sentences
• say about 50 words
• recognize familiar pictures
• kick a ball forward
• feed themselves with a spoon
• demand a lot of your attention
• turn two or three pages together
• like to imitate their parent
• identify hair, eyes, ears, and nose by pointing
• build a tower of four blocks
• show affection
At three years of age, most children:
• throw a ball overhand
• ride a tricycle
• put on their shoes
• open the door
• turn one page at a time
• play with other children for a few minutes
• repeat common rhymes
• use three-to-five-word sentences
• name at least one color correctly

Of all these, 4 achievements must be noted:
• Social smile by 2 months
• Head holding by 4 months
• Sitting alone by 8 months
• Standing alone by 12 months


What is developmental delay?
A developmental delay is any significant lag in a child's physical, cognitive, behavioral, emotional, or social development, in comparison with the normal.
A baby's rate of development is determined partly before birth, primarily as a result of genetic make-up and partly due to various physical insults during and just after delivery. Normal development is again quite flexible, occurring over a range of time. Definite deviation beyond that range in any sector of development is developmental delay. When a child consistently reaches developmental milestones much later than other children, a professional consultation is usually warranted. Few babies develop at a uniform rate; most develop quickly in some areas and slower in others. Some babies reach most or all developmental milestones slightly later than "average." As long as a child's development falls within the broad range that is considered normal, reaching one or more milestones late is generally not a cause for concern.
Several developmental areas are of interest: gross motor skills (e.g., crawling, walking), fine motor skills (e.g., grasping and manipulating objects), receptive (understanding) and expressive (speaking) language, self-help (e.g., feeding, dressing), and social and play skills. While it is important to consider each of these areas, some are more important predictors of developmental difficulties than others.
Gross motor skills tend to be of particular importance to parents. They are readily observable and easy to compare from one child to the next. The timing of concrete achievements such as first steps is usually easy for any parent to pinpoint. But a particular achievement such as early walking bears little relationship to later intelligence. Communication and social skills are generally more important in understanding a child's developmental progress.
During the first half of the first year, baby's communication skills are largely nonverbal. Smiling, making eye contact and turning in the direction of a familiar voice, are all signs that baby is connecting with and relating to his social environment. Later in the first year, babbling begins and words may start to appear. In most cases, baby's vocabulary will continue to grow by leaps and bounds as he moves through the second year. Again, however, it is the ability to use language to communicate and relate to the social world that is most important. A child who has a limited speaking vocabulary late into the second year, but is able to communicate needs through gestures, point to named objects in books, and follow simple directions, is most likely not exhibiting significant developmental delay.
The nature of a child's play also provides important information about intellectual development. Very young children tend to play alongside, rather than with, other children. Early play consists largely of using body and senses to interact with the environment. During the toddler years there is a move toward pretend play and increasingly interactive play with other children. Flexibility and creativity become more evident as a child begins to engage in symbolic play (e.g., using a block to represent a car) and role-playing (e.g., "I'll be the mommy and you be the baby"). Steady progression toward more social and complex play suggests that development in this area is on track.
Some red flag warning signs that a child's development may not be on track include:
0-2 years:
• Little interest in surroundings and caregivers
• Absence or minimal eye-contact or smiling
• Lack of responsiveness to sound
• Absence of babbling by end of first year
• Failure to walk by 15 months of age
• Failure to use hands to manipulate and explore objects.
Toddlers (2-3 years):
• Little interest in other children
• Limited use of words or gestures to communicate needs
• Repetitive non-communicative or parrot-like speech
• Very repetitive, non-purposeful play (e.g., focuses only on parts of objects such a wheels, knobs; obsessively turns pages of book without attending to or recognizing content).
Pre-schoolers (3-5 years):
• Speech that is very difficult to understand
• Little or no pretend or imaginary play
• Little interest in social interaction
• Difficulties with balance, running
• Difficulty using crayons or scissors, manipulating small objects.
What are the different developmental disabilities (NDD)?
At least 8 percent of all children from birth to six years have developmental problems and delays in one or more areas of development. Some have global delays, which means they lag in all developmental areas.
Common neuro developmental disabilities (NDD) include:
• Cerebral Palsy
• Mental Retardation
• Speech and language disorders
• Attention Deficit Hyperkinetic Disorder (ADHD)
• Autism
• Learning disabilities
• Visual and hearing defects

Where do I go to?
Consult your Pediatrician immediately.
Remember to get an Eye and Hearing test done.
You will be referred to a Child Developmental Clinic for Early Intervention Therapy through a team approach.

What is done for Early Intervention?
Early intervention starts right from the baby’s stay at the NICU. The environment is rendered developmentally supportive through the following:
• Optimizing lights in the Nursery & mimicking diurnal variation
• Reduce noise to minimum
• Use of soft music
• Club painful procedures & interventions
• Non nutritive sucking
• Tactile stimulation through soft stroking and caressing.
• Kangaroo mother care

Later, early intervention is continued through the provision of :
• Stimulation in all sectors of development
• Stimulate the child through the normal developmental channel and help him to achieve the next milestone every time.
• Passive exercises to prevent stiffness
• Parents are encouraged to constantly provide appropriate stimulation.
• Counsel the parents. Assess the parenting skills and provide necessary education.

What can I expect?
Early Intervention is neither a single dose therapy nor a magic medicine. We do not expect miracles that the child will be absolutely normal, coming 1st in class or winning an obstacle race. But we help him to win his own obstacle race.
Through EIP the child gradually achieves the best of his potentiality. He is taught to perform to the best of his ability to survive independently in society. His strong points are brought into focus, through which his life is made purposeful.
And again, in some, much is achieved beyond expectation, bordering on a miracle!
The take home message is “Be patient and sincere, you will be rewarded.”

HOW IMPORTANT IS EARLY INTERVENTION?

We often refer to a person as a ‘complete man’. Have you ever wondered what we exactly meant by ‘complete’? We all seem to be complete; nobody has seen a half-man after all! But no, completeness encompasses many a parameters & dimensions.

A baby grows from a neonate to a toddler, and then through the stages of childhood and adolescence, gradually evolves into an adult. All the while he grows in length, breadth and weight; his sensory perception, cognitive ability & intelligence develop so that he gradually gains control over his own self, then over his surrounding environment. The better control he has over himself, the more poised his personality becomes. The extent and magnitude of his control over his environment determines his level of success. This constant evolution starts from the moment of conception of life. It occurs in different dimensions: physical, mental, intellectual, emotional and spiritual. Evolution to the fullest in all these dimensions ultimately produces a complete personality.

We, the care-givers of small babies, visualize this evolution when we think of his growth & development. Any deficit, any deviation at any point will curb the blooming process. A thousand and one deficits may be silently residing in the baby’s system, which, if not identified in time, will manifest as a hindered development in later days. For example, a child who doesn’t learn to smile in time may not learn to interact and play like other children and he may develop mental retardation later on. Similarly, a baby who is late in holding his head may be late in all limb activities like sitting, standing, walking, etc. So all who care for babies and children must know the markers of normal development and must learn to pick up deviations EARLY.

How does this early detection help? Any inherent deficit in a developing child can be supported and the process of development in that area enhanced through early intervention. It’s like offering a hand to a person unable to climb a high step. He can make it with your help and the next time he has the confidence to try it himself.

What exactly is early intervention? It is a comprehensive process, by means of which stimulation is given to the child in areas where his development is faltering, thus guides him through the normal developmental channel. Through these techniques the affected brain parts are stimulated to become more active. But how can a dead cell in the brain become alive and active? It has been proved that though brain cells do not regenerate, synapses (connections between cells) are regenerable and with early stimulation healthy brain cells, through new synapses, take up the job of the damaged cells. Thus brain activity can be made to improve. This plasticity of the brain is made use of in early intervention techniques.

Who does this early intervention? As different aspects of brain function, like gross motor (sitting, walking etc), fine motor ( picking up things, handling etc), cognitive
(understanding, imagination etc), language, learning etc may need to be assessed and supported, this process calls for a very well co-ordinated team approach. The team comprises of a developmental Pediatrician, Ophthalmologist, Psychiatrist, Physiotherapist, occupational therapist, developmental psychologist, speech therapist, special educator and counselor. Whatever these specialists have to offer need to be conveyed regularly to the child, and, who else, but the mother, will happily render this effort 24 X 7? So she remains the pivot of the early Intervention program. It is thus obligatory for her to be well informed and convinced about the whole approach, to get the best benefits for her child. This is a long process and calls for a lot of perseverance and patience to reap the ultimate reward.

So, mothers (& fathers as well), get informed about your child’s normal development and danger signs to be identified. Next time we will talk about these issues.

What Silence Had To Say

A FIRE WAS BURNING. We were terrorized. The crowd was in frenzy. Everybody seemed to be asking, “How did this happen? Who is to blame?” Replies came as sparks, “They did it”, “It’s him”, “Hit him”, “Beat them up”…. Flames, fumes and wrath filled the space… suffocating destruction was engulfing us as we screamed and ran frantically like a bunch of lunatics. Only the little girl, Silence, stood aside, tears streaming down her cheeks. She knew the answer, but nobody asked her for it, because her name was silence. Silence never speaks where commotion reigns. But, she had the answer.

No, I did not recognize silence on that day of gloom and destruction. I discovered her much later, one summer afternoon when I was lazing alone on the grass on the bank of Lake Eire. She was humming softly, with a sweet smile on her face. Stretching my ears, I heard, “Be gentle, be soft. Don’t let the trifles in life upset you. Feel the tranquility of the lake within yourself.” Yes, she was right! I could feel the calmness! “Silence, why didn’t you tell us this on that fated day? You were there then.” “You never asked” came the answer.

Her personality charmed me. It was instant love. I kept looking for her till I again met her at a small village inPurulia. She was sitting under the old Banyan tree. “How long have you been here?” I asked her. “I’ve always been here. You can stay on too, but you’ve got to be patient.” “Learn to give and wait for no return, like this huge tree … she asks for nothing for the shade & shelter she has been giving to us for ages. Patience will give you peace” “Silence, you are wonderful!” I blurted out.

We became fast friends. She kept beckoning me, I kept looking for her. Chatting with her was always a treat. There she was when I looked out of my bedroom window, dancing merrily with the young maple leaves against the clear blue sky in spring. Like me, a tiny squirrel was also waiting for her, in a small hole in the tree trunk. Silence talked a lot of blissful joy that spring morning at Dunkirk.

By now she had divulged a secret to me. Aloft the sky, she could always be found. Now I knew, looking up, I could always see her smiling at me. We started a new game. Up in the sky I saw her in new dresses every time. In her beautiful black shimmering dress on a star studded midnight sky at Purulia, or a sunset sky over the St Laurence River where she had spilt her colour palate on her dress, spreading red, yellow, orange, purple and blue all-over, she would always talk of her sister, ‘Eternity’. She actually introduced me to Eternity on these wonderful occasions.

I invited her to my place. But, a shy girl, she would only drop in at dawn, when the bleeding hearts bloomed, to say Good Morning. Smiling at the pretty flowers, she would say, “Endure your own pain, but never cause pain to others. The Bleeding Heart bleeds to bloom, to give you pleasure. Love and endurance is the magic word of Nature. That is why Mother Nature thrives on, through thick and thin and is always smiling.”

Last week it was along day I spent with Silence, at Shenandoah. As we drove through the mountains, a long 100 miles through solitude and beauty, she constantly kept company, pointing out the depth of blue in the layers of mountain ranges ahead, the tranquil enormity of the lofty hills. Yes, she was right, eternal peace and harmony reined in the mountains and valleys, through which the clouds gently breezed through. The bold stature and the undaunted stance of the tall peaks quietly seemed to instill a unique strength of tenacity into one: a strength that rises out of Truth and conviction.
“ Mountains stand for Truth and strength” she whispered in my ears.
That reminds me of another enchanting experience with her in the mountains. It was up in the hills of Arunachal Pradesh, where Silence would sing a wonderful humming tune. Straining our ears, we used to hear the tinkling of the temple bells all around, as if Mother Nature was performing arati to deify the Almighty. I still wonder where she got that heavenly melody! Was it from the tiny cricket like insects in the woods?

Now Silence visits me regularly, morning and evening, in the little corner of my room they call my Thakur Ghar, but I call a chat room. Its here I get to chat with Silence. She keeps explaining how love, patience, endurance, truth—all are manifestations of the Divine. The Divine we tend to search for, but cannot reach because of the haze created by the ‘sound and fury’ of life. Silence, I’m grateful to you, you let me get a glimpse of the truth! Oh Silence, don’t leave me, or I wont be able to get that glimpse again!

Last night I met her again, at a very unusual place, at an International Airport, at the strike of midnight. Lots of people, lots of colours, lots of religions, all walking through their own tracks, with no commotion, no conflicts & no controversies. At that late hour one thing was common to all that was weariness. So a faint smile or a gesture of accommodation was the only communication between the transit passengers. Here again, the world met together, but there was no scourge, no sting, no scoff. Silence, you were standing there, in the midst of all, with a gleaming smile, at that wee hour!

But then, why didn’t you speak on that fated day, Silence? You know we all need you, only that most of us aren’t quite acquainted with you. Why didn’t you come forward to put the fire out? Poor thing, you are such a shy and sensitive person, you withdraw from all commotion. And who ever lends an ear to the beautiful music of Silence?

How could we prevent this distortion?

'Born to bloom but fated to be nipped'
A flower in full bloom is beauty personified. Every bud appears with the potentiality to bloom to the fullest, to radiate all its beauty and fragrance. Yet so many get nipped at the bud, so many wither away. Have we ever stopped to ponder whether this loss, this wastage could be prevented? Wouldn't the world be so much more beautiful, had all the flowers blossomed?

Every time I look at a developmentally challenged child, this question keeps coming back to me. Can we just sit back and watch the bud get distorted and wither away?
For every 1000 otherwise healthy babies born, 3 are going to be spastic, with stiff limbs and difficulty in ambulation, 2-3 will develop autistic traits, mental developmental delay & retardation to some extent will be noted in 20-25 children, of whom 4% will have profound retardation, 7% will have moderate problem % rest 89% will have mild retardation. Another 30 children are expected to develop Hyperactivity Syndrome, which we call ADHD. Later, as they start going to school, 16-20 children will develop learning disability of some sort. So out of these 1000 delicate buds how many are going to bloom to their fullest? Quite a grim picture, isn't it?

Let us take a closer look at the problem and try to find out whether we have anything to improve the present scenario, and who is to shoulder the responsibility?
A developmentally challenged child may present in various ways, with various disabilities, of different degrees, associate with a wide spectrum of complicated neurological diseases, all arising from a multitude of aetiological (read causative) factors. Confusing, right? No, I'll not go into any further medical jargon. To put it simply, the gamut of the problem is immense, both in prevalence and severity. But the silver lining lies in the fact that severe problems and grave presentations, though difficult to diagnose and treat, are relatively much rarer. Conversely, the milder varieties of developmental delay and retardation are more commonly met with. They are caused, to an extent, by environmental factors, hence are somewhat remediable and reversible. Milder mental challenges are prevalent in the weaker section of society where nutrition, basic health care, environmental stimulation and education has a lot to do with their intellectual and cognitive stunting. These challenged kids create a greater burden to the already compromised living of these poor families. Developmental challenge;;; a torture for the child, a source of anxiety and burden to the family, a burden and negative resource to the society.

I'm sorry if I'm sounding too gloomy. No, the scenario should not be so grim if we take a little effort, for much of this problem is amenable to correction, provided we act EARLY! Detect early & intervene early to prevent the disability from becoming really disabling! Moreover, much of the challenges & disabilities can be overcome or circumvented to allow the child to function much more effectively and efficiently, utilizing all his potential.
This is exactly what we mean by the common medical term of 'Early Detection and Early Intervention.'

Now the question comes, how early and by whom? In other words, who is to shoulder the responsibility and when?
By early we mean as early as possible, preferably at birth. Why? A baby's brain develops most when he is in his mother's womb & the 1st few months of life. And coming out of that pleasant home called 'mothers womb' to this angry world & surviving here is a trial for the delicate baby. Any maladjustment here can have a bearing on the child's developing brain, giving rise in later life to a developmental challenge. These perinatal and early infancy assaults can leave tell-tale signs, which if identified in time, will give us a premonition that the child may develop a disability. Also, as the baby grows, he can show subtle signs of a developmental lag, which can be picked up by a searching eye. We tend to ignore these minor signs and put it off by saying," It'll be OK as he grows older"....only to admit the disaster when it stares back at us when he really grows older.And this 'we' includes the parents, grand-parents, care-givers, neighbours, even physicians!!! Blissful ignorance!

So, dear parents and grand parents, please consult a developmental pediatrician if your baby was born too early (preterm) on too small (LBW) or was very ill after birth, had to be kept in the NICU. Keep a vigilant watch on how he grows : does he smile, does he hold his head up, does he sit & stand, does he talk in time? Does he see & hear properly? Does he look into your eyes? Does he play the way other babies do? Any suspicion, don't wait, consult your doctor. Dear doctors, please acknowledge a delay or aberration when you note it and for Heaven's sake, do not pacify your client with a "Don't worry, it'll be OK" unless you're dead sure. If it's not your special domain, refer to a 'development' colleague.

Early detection calls for early Intervention. Some problem in the tiny brain cells is preventing the child from functioning normally. If these weaker areas of the brain can be given constant & proper stimulation, they will grow to the best of their potentiality. Moreover, neighbouring areas of the brain can lend a helping hand. Thus the child can learn to improve his skills to the best of his ability. He is also taught to circumvent his disabilities by using his other acumen to perform a particular act. Thus he adapts to life in a more effective & purposive way. All this takes time and patience, but the reward at the end of the day is really fulfilling. The wide smile on the mother's face and the confidence in the child's look will surely tell you that.

This early intervention is not a single dose therapy. It has to go on and on and on. It needs specialized team effort : a team of specialists including a developmental pediatrician, a developmental psychologist, psychiatrist, ophthalmologist, ENT Specialist, a physiotherapist, an occupational therapist, a speech therapist, who will work with the child at regular intervals, through play based interventions, but the pivot of the team remains the mother, who will effectively work with the child day in and day out. It is her perseverance, on which the final show depends! A confident and patient mother wins the race. We have many an example of such battle-winners.

Every challenged child who learns to live a purposeful life, who attains the best of his potentiality, is one more happy person on this earth, with one more happy and content family surrounding him. We thus lighten the burden of one family, the social burden by one unit.

What a divine pleasure to see that smile of fulfillment on the lips of that little 'different child' at the back!
So, though a deformed bud, it wont wither away. It will bloom and it's deviant beauty may surpass the normal flower!

Mothers Day 2009

Two women, two professoinals--on a week-end road trip through the Rockies at Colorado....

"The magnificience of these sandstone rocks is captivating"...:"Hmm. you can feel the touch of the greatest sculptor, The Almighty. No wonder its called the Garden of the Gods', as the Native Indians considered it to be."

"Can I have one more scoop ple-e-ease?".. "Dont you think you have had enough ice-cream for today?"

"Could you please walk a bit faster?"..."Dont run, I cant keep pace with you."

"This place is spooky, Mama. Hold on to me tight"..."Dont worry dear, I'm right there."

Wonder what these are? Bits of conversation picked up on the way? No, these are a few tidbits that went on between these two ladies travelling together-- one in her twenties, the other in her fifties. Who else but the mother & daughter duo could delve into such varied moods of conversation!

So began our week-end trip from Denver, where my daughter came from Buffalo to pick me up, aftter a conference, I had come to attend there.

We drove down to Colorado Springs, late that Friday evening, only to bundle off to sleep in a cosy little hotel,wondering what beauty awaited us next morning.A quiet sleep with your 'baby' nestled in your arms is a pleasant treat for a mother residing 12,000 miles away from her kid!

Next morning the soft sunrays of dawn woke us up at 5:45 AM--an early and colourful dawn heralded a real bright day.We started off after a quick coffee, towards the Garden of the Gods.A wonderful drive through the plateau region took us to the Garden of the Gods Trading Post, from where we got a grand view of the mighty mountain range of the Pikes Peak.

This trading Post was built by the Indian trader, Charles Staussenburg, way back in 1900. Largely expanded today, yet maintaining its heritage, this place now hosts a classic art gallery. a unique gift shop and real good food at its Balanced Rock Cafe.

From there we went into the Garden of the Gods--strolling at ease on foot through the magnificient red sandstone rocks, formed at the fancy of nature; the touch of the magic hand of the Eternal Scuptor could be felt everywhere.We were awe-struck at the beauty and intricacy of these natural monuments-- the Balancd Rocks, the Kissing Camels, the Siamese Twins, to name a few. Sprawiling over 1350 acres stood numerous such structures, which had been built slowly, over 300 milliion years, as sand and salts deposited layer by layer, beneath flowing streams. As geologists speculate, in another few milliion years, these huge sturdy rocks will again crumble down, back to sand and gravel. Thus we all come, we grow and we perish and the Eternal Cycle continues.

Colourful chirpy birds broke the silence, as if to say, "Come on, come alive and be happy."

After an enchanting couple of hours up there, we came back, only to utter, "Truly, a Garden of Gods"

It was 11:30 and we were hungry--we drove on to Manitou Springs, looking for a good place for lunch. Suddenly a colourful stage-coach caught our eyes and we walked into the historic 'Stage-coach Inn'. The ambience took us back down memory lane to the log-house-stage-coach days and we had a sumptuous lunch. The food was delicious with a country-side flavour.

Outside the inn, I felt a sudden tug at my sleeve--turning my head I found two imploring eyes meeting mine.The tug, the look spoke a language I was used to 15 years back!! "Mama please....look at those bears!!"

Yes, it was a wayside shop with wood carved bears on display: bears of differnt sizes and in different moods.My daughter dragged me across the street and we treated our eyes to the wonderful wood carvings.They looked real alive, holding up 'Welcome', Good By' and other placards. Of-course the one my chimp-turned-young lady chose was a 'Go Away' sign!

There were lots more to see and only one afternoon in hand, so we had to choose from a list of 'to-go's. We chose to go for the Pikes Peak mountain. We would drive up to the 14,110 ft summit, a 19 mile drive to the top...that was thrilling! The roads were real scary, with surprisingly no guard rails on the narrow hilly roads and hairpin bends. All the way the view was magnificient with snow-clad peaks all around, pine trres and hiking trails through them, and reservoirs reflecting the white peaks enhancing the beauty all the more. It was a pity the over cautious driving effort kept my daughter from being able to enjoy the beauty. For once, I felt sorry that I couldn't drive. Anyhow, once at the top we felt we had achieved our goal. It was reassuring and real boosting to spot the peak we had reached as we descended back. Mountains always spoke of enormity and grandeur to me--reminding me of how tiny and insignificant we mortals are, compared to nature & the Eternal. The tiny efforts to reach the summit is all we have to hold on to.

After a three and half hour enchanting drive, we returned to the base and drove back towards Manitou Springs. On the way as we stopped at a coffee shop for coffee, a glance at the next shop attracted our attention. There stood a wooden reindeer with a scene painted on it. As I was trying to decipher the paintings, a motherly lady came forward saying "Thats the fire. Please see the otherside-- that shows our fight, our struggle." A look at the name of the shop, 'Born of the Flames' and her commentary brought back the story vividly-- the story of the devastating fires of 2002 in Colorado and the brave story of fighting back to life.This ever-positive effort to survive tragedy---to create out of destruction---the untiring effort of an evergreen lady of seventy overwhelmed me.With all the woods burnt out, they had recovered the wood from the core of the Aspen trees, from which beauties in the form of vases, coasters, trays, lamps and many more were carved out. Each was a piece of art with a story to tell. Fire had destroyed a lot for these fate-struck but courageous people, but it had kindled a new fire in them, a fire of inspiration to survive and create. My hats off to Ms Ginger Krabbenhoft and her team.

Having gathered enough treasure for our eyes and mind, we now returned to Manitou Springs downtown--for a leisurely stroll before returning to the hotel.

Little did we guess what this dainty little downtown had in store for us! This small downtown was a treasure house for local arts. We went from one shop to another to encounter a display of varied arts--from glass blowing to jewelry, from wood carving to metal work--it was all there.Seldom do we come across such a thriving art community now-a-days. And shopping with your daughter always means a tug at your sleeves, an imploring 'Mama..', a fond indulgence with a false frown---even if she is the tour guide and its her credit card! These are small gestures which, I guess, we both cherish a lot.

Thus our day long Colorado trip came to an end--a merry, satisfying trip, where we enjoyed every bit of it-- taking in the beauties of today soaked in the nectar of fond remembrances.

Two professionally busy women at two opposite ends of the world, but bound by the strongest of bonds of an invisible umbilical cord, are suddenly brought together after a year--very, very close---on a one day trip to the Rockies. So what could be more fulfilling to a mom on Mothers' Day?