Can You Believe It?

Geetha was crying, totally upset! I stopped to ask her what had happened!"Do fairy godmothers exist?" she asked. "But why?" I asked surprised! "Chetana just told me that I was a fool to believe that Fairy Godmothers exist!" she burst out. I always believed we have our Fairy Godmothers. Today research says don't bring up children in the fairy tale concept because, life is never a fairytale. Reality is too harsh for them later in life! As a little girl, I always loved to believe my fairy Godmother was there for me, the thought itself reassured me many a time! But, eight-year-old Geetha's question put me in a fix! What do I tell her? I diverted her mind talking about her dolls & her friends & took her inside the house. Her question however definitely was nagging me!!!

A call from my friend Uma and I forgot about my fairy Godmother. We were talking after so long and she had so much to tell me. She casually mentioned Asma our friend now settled in the U.S. I remember I had met Asma years ago.

A confident girl, I liked her instantly. Uma later had told me her story. A refugee from Pakistan, she had come with her father, sister and brother years ago to Delhi. She was the eldest and automatically took the place of her mother who they had lost by then. Her responsibility was doubly increased as her father was mentally disturbed and it started affecting his medical practice. Relatives stepped in. The anchor however continued to be Asma! Soon she had to take care of her dad too. Her brother and sister were sent to study. Asma started trying to read whatever she could lay her hands on with the help of her siblings.

Years flew past. Privately she wrote her 10th and 12th exams and scored well too! Soon she had the confidence to enter college. Her life was a little secret she kept within herself! Managing her home, monitoring her sister and brother became her prime concern and added to that was her dad who needed total care. She did it all with a smile. Soon marriage proposals came in. She got her sister married to an eligible bachelor from a good family.

Her responsibility reduced, she wanted to study further. She applied for a course in law. Her marks got her an admission. Her brother by now got a good job with an MNC and monetary problems reduced tremendously. Soon she wanted to see her brother married. He insisted that she be married first.

Most of the proposals fizzled when she insisted that her father should stay with her, as he needed constant care. One of the boys was ready, and things looked bright but his family stood against his decision at the last moment and it did not fall through. Her world came crashing down, as she really had liked the boy. Bitter about marriage, she was sure now she would not want to marry. She insisted her brother marry Sarah, the girl he loved. The marriage took place and Asma was glad that in Sarah she got a good friend. Soon her brother got a good offer in the U.S. and she insisted he take it.

He heeded her advice and left. Attending to her father, her life continued. She decided to take competitive exams. That's where she met Uma and they got along very well. Soon they became fast friends and she shared her life's secrets. They came home together once & her confidence was what struck me. Neither the loner that she was nor her tragedy had any reflection in her attitude. Soon her father expired and her brother insisted she move to the U.S. She went there for a holiday.

Soon the WTC tragedy struck & to stay longer she had to write exams, which she did. She took up a job and her visa status changed. She now worked with a company where she had to sell through the net. One of customers soon wrote her about some problem she had and Asma promptly wrote back about solving it. The lady happened to be an Indian and they corresponded regularly. They decided to meet.

The meeting was a formality for they had already known each other, but what surprised them was that they were Muslims from the same sect. This lady had a brother who was a doctor. Asma fit the bill for the girl they were looking for. Asma's brother and sister were excited for their sister. She however decided to take it with a pinch of salt. Once they met however, she liked him. She could not believe what was happening. Finally she met her prince charming. They were married and she lived happily ever after.

A sentence with which most fairy tales end. Life definitely can be one too. The hardships Asma went through were destiny. Her fairy godmother definitely was overseeing her. When Uma finished her story I smiled.
I knew what to tell little Geetha.
Fairy Godmothers do exist. They however come in human form today!
Can you believe it?