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| Sunday, 29 January 2006 |
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Short story - Living life to the full Nature was like a healing balm. I felt as if the cool breeze mingled with the fragrance of coffee flowers adding a new flavour to my life. The soothing quality of it made my being rejuvenated. I felt that my life had started anew after the bath. It gave my weary soul a fresh start. The bath I usually took in a confined bathroom never gave me the kind of feeling I experienced back. It seemed that my arrival has proved really worthwhile I felt this within the first few hours of my stay here. "Mahattaya we'll have something hot first".
The voice of the Village Headman made me involuntarily come out of the myriad thoughts I was in. The creamy flavour and the rich colour of the cup of tea that his wife offered me foretold a lot about the kind of food that I was going to have later on. "Mahattaya you will find it difficult to live here, because you are not used to this way of living. These people lead a tedious life. They hardly get all three meals a day. You'll understand it by and by. Anyway, we consider it a great privilege to have a person like you here to make their lives at least a little better." Sorry I felt very sorry about the folk living in the village. I sensed my decision to come here could be viewed in an optimistic perspective after paying heed to him. Several factors contributed to my coming here. I was so fed up of the rat race living in the city. Apart from studies I did nothing basically. Career goals were the only dreams I had in life. My university career hardly gave me any time to breathe even. Books were the only companions I had. Whenever there were ups and downs in my life, I had recourse to books for they assisted me in a number of ways to held me recover emotionally. Moreover, the rapport that I had with my family members was also rather distant. My brother didn't like me at all for he was not an introvert as I was. Parties friends, swimming and rugger matches carried much weight in his world. Moreover, there was an incident which tempted me to leave home for sometime. Once my brother had a heated argument with me and he chased me out of his room screaming: You bibliopile... Get out of my room. You haven't seen the world yet. So much is there to be explored. One fine day you'll realize the extent that you have lost". Pondered It became food for thought. I pondered a lot about it. Later, I myself realized that I should have a change. Therefore, I purposely sought a position in which I could associate with people with a different living style in a different setting. The motive of exploring the yet unknown pleasures as my brother accused me of played an important role in my coming to this village. The sources of pleasure that my brother indulged in were definitely not my niche. Hence, the only source of solace that I could indulge in was pleasures related to nature. As I expected my efforts were fruitful. I got the opportunity of working as a community development officer in a very remote area. Initially, I had second thoughts about taking it up for I was so pessimistic about the kind of living in villages. Still my inner feelings forced me to have a taste of the other side of paradise. Thus I ended up at the Village Headman's house. Piled The things I brought were piled up in a corner of the small room. There was ample evidence to suggest that the wife of the village headman kept the house spick and span. I heard the him call me for lunch, when I was tidying up the room. The aroma from the curries being prepared in the kitchen titillated my taste buds. I could hardly resist the hunger which increased bit by bit. The sight of the lunch table comprising wel malu, kirikos, kadju malu and kekulu bath created an insatiable hunger in me. Both the Headman and his wife proved to be very hospitable. In the afternoon, I thought of visiting the villagers for it was part and parcel of my duty. The Village Headman gladly escorted me. Most of the houses were made up of wattle and daub. Though the villagers seemed poor, bountiful nature seemed to ooze out everywhere. The luscious greenery adorned the whole setting. The living conditions of the villagers seemed quite unsatisfactory. He enlightened me about the living conditions here. "Mahattaya, at times elephants come and destroy the whole village or else incessant rain and drought destroy our crops. There are families who don't even get a single grain of rice a year." Living His words were a graphic display of the kind of living that they led. I thought in depth about his words while returning. I understood the contrast of life of ours and theirs. I couldn't even fathom a life of this sort. Even the thought of getting accustomed to this way of living became exhausting to me. Simultaneously, I began to realize the facade with which we live in the city. In a society where mercenary motives take priority, these villagers seemed so destitute and stranded. The last house that I walked in on the very first day, taught me the greatest lesson that I learnt in my life. I could still recollect that incident which moved my spirit to a great extent. A pleasant looking young man came out of the house as I entered into their compound. The house made of wattle and daub looked tidy. The panoramic view of the paddy fields that one could have from the compound created an enchanting sight. Flowers of different kinds adorned the compound. But they weren't adequate to conceal the dire circumstances in which they lived. "Mahattaya, come and sit. I got to know about you from the others". The young man called me with great respect and directed me to a broken chair. I faintly heard a sweet voice singing a lullaby. He saw me being inquisitive and with a loving smile said. That is Menika, my wife lulling the youngest. The other two are there near the swing". Corner There were two others playing in glee in a corner of the compound. I couldn't believe that he was a father of three for he looked not more than thirty. No sooner a woman with a big smile appeared through the doorway. She was truly a rustic beauty. Her dark hair was tied in a knot and she looked somewhat plump and fair. Her clear-cut features suggested that she was more beautiful earlier. "Mahattaya, this is Menika... mother of my children" He proudly said. Menika smilingly looked at him in an approving manner. I could s till remember the love reflected in her eyes to hear such a remark. It became quite evident to me that they lived a satisfying life, however, amidst all these difficulties. I couldn't fathom how they could be so. Therefore, I was tempted to ask details about their life that was full of hardships. He started speaking when she went inside the house. "It is true that we live in dire circumstances. But we live happily. I give my wife and my children the best. They have quite understood it. I can easily go to the city and find work. But they don't allow me and I myself don't like to desert them here. We are so bound to each other. When I live with my wife and children, I feel like as if I'm living my life really. Well. Mahattaya, living your life (jeewath wenawa) and existence (pawathinawa) are two different things. To exist, you only need food, but you need more to live your life. Love of a woman and children makes your life really worthwhile and precious. They make you realize that you live your life in the real sense of the world. It is Menika and my three children who make my life to go on amidst all these difficulties. When I wake up early in the morning, the sight of my wife and three children gives me enough satisfaction. It gives courage for me to face the day." I was so astonished to hear such words from a person like him. The rationale behind what he spoke was quite oblivious to him. But the depth of what he spoke made me dumbfounded. Never have I heard such words before. I began to think about my life. It became quite obvious to me that I have only existed so far. The realization that, I should live my life occurred to me at that moment only. I still believe that no sociologist would be capable to define life in a more solid manner than that illiterate young man who taught me the greatest lesson of life. by Indu Gamage, University of Ruhuna
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