In the backyard of a traditional tiled house, a grandfather around eighty two years old sits on his wooden reclining chair with long hands. A maid hands him a cup of hot filter coffee in a stainless steel dabara set. He slurps it and remarks, "you make the best coffee, child". She blushes and goes inside the house. He is a jolly man, free-spirited. In spite of old-age, his steel grey hair is still think and long. He likes to maintain it that way, with a centre partition and little locks of hair resting in his forehead. He is very energetic for his age and loves to read books. When he is not reading, he is teaching or telling stories. He loves to be surrounded by children. He is everyone's favorite.
The yellow hues of dusk accompanied by sultry breeeze, makes the evening feel magical. Is there a possibility for a splash of summer rains, he wonders, as he takes another sip of hot coffee. He relishes and looks up at the canopy of trees above him. There is a mango tree and a jackfruit tree, both next to each other; as if they are fraternal twins. There are half a dozen of coconut trees. Beneath that are jasmine, hibiscus and basil. He was lost in thoughts for sometime when a bunch of children comes running towards him. They know what their grandfather would be doing at that time of day. He is a man of habits.
When he sees the children, he smiles and greets them with excitement. The children eagerly sit around him. The grandfather asks them how their day was. What new things that learn that day. He is always keen to know everything about them. Also, more than grateful to answer their questions. Their questions were always unpredictable. Sometimes it would be as complex as does the sun set or if it's moving on? Why the leaves were made in green and not in some other color. Sometimes it would be as simple as tell us a story please. He would be delighted to answer all of them. He would pay all his attention to them and answer as if those children are his universe and not a nano dust in the grander scheme of universe. The wide eyed children would listen to him because he is their hero and they love him with all their hearts and beyond....
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Now... Imagine we were one of those wide eyed children...
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Such was the beauty of this beautiful book - My Journey: Transforming Dreams into Action by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. A must read... Carries the wisdom that only our grandparents would have... It carries a warmth that only an elderly who loves the children unconditionally could emanate.
What an excellent way of introducing a book. I was led to believe I was a reading a short story only to be surprised at the end that there can no better way of commending a book for reading.
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