She kept on asking him what’s her name and he with utmost patience, love and compassion replied saying its “Asha”. She would then smile and just stare at the open sky for hours. It was a daily practice for them now, she would ask her name and he would reply. People around them never understood why they did this and what was the sense in it, even their son Vikram was often confused and perplexed with this routine of his parents. Vikram after witnessing this for years, one day went up to his dad and asked, ‘Mom asks you this same question daily and you would smile and answer her without an ounce of irritation or frustration: how do you do that and why?”

His father was impressed with Vikram as he had not only seen the routine but had observed the emotions, expressions and tone of the conversation. His father then answered Vikram by saying, ‘Few things are not just habit but they are a vital ingredient for our living and soul, and this routine is a way to express our love and the mutual respect we have for each other.’ On this, Vikram asked, ‘Then why does mom always ask her name and not yours dad?’ His father was silent for few seconds on this question, but then he smiled and said, ‘Just enjoy this small cute and emotional routine of your parents. Time will answer your question and soon you will understand the deeper meaning attached to this routine my dear.’ Before leaving, his father said to him with a straight face, ‘Life will teach you to live with questions that don’t have answers.’ Somehow, his father’s last lines left a deep impact on the mind of Vikram and he realised that answers are what we see and interpret.

After that day, Vikram never questioned him again, rather eagerly waited for his parent’s routine as he found it sweet and lovable. One day, his parents told him that they were leaving for Mumbai for a week for some work. He was excited as he would be alone at home and could do anything. At night, Vikram’s father asked him to go out on a walk with him to which he reluctantly said yes. His father took him out for a walk to the same park where they would often go during his childhood days to play. He was slightly confused as well as worried, as his father was a very practical person and they have not been to this park in the past few years. Vikram could not bear the suspense any longer and burst out asking, ‘What’s the matter dad? Is it anything serious?’

With teary filled eyes, his father said, ‘Your mom is suffering from cancer my dear. I am taking her to Mumbai for her treatment.’ Vikram was shocked and could not understand what was happening. He refused to believe his father and was adamant that his father was just joking with him. But his dad’s expressions were speaking something else and he could sense that his father was not joking but this was the truth which broke both the men. They sat in silence and cried in their hearts for a while and then Vikram asked, ‘What are the chances of mom’s survival?’ His father held his hand and said, ‘Doctors have said that they will try their best, but it all depends on how well she responds to the treatment.’ He further added that the treatment will be painful and will have side effects, but before he could complete Vikram said, ‘I know dad and I want to go with you and mom to Mumbai.’ There was again a silence and finally, Vikram said, ‘Now I understand why mom always asks you to say her name. She wants to hear it from the person she loves the most, the essence of which means hope and faith.’

‘Your mom is my hope and my life line,’ his father says. ‘She completes me and completes the emptiness in my soul. Love is a strange thing son, it gives you happiness but it also gives you pain so that we value and cherish the lover we have in our life.’ He further says, ‘Your mom wants that you should be strong to see her undergo the changes and you should be willing to accept that life is beautiful and never ask God why this happened to your mom. Life is all about living with a puzzle of questions with no answer or few answers only, yet it’s the most beautiful thing. She wants you to fall in love with yourself, with your soul, with the unanswered questions and finally with someone who would complete you and whom you would complete. She wants you to live life to the fullest with utmost happiness and smile. Never give up because you are son of a fighter. Your mom always says, “Asha ek umeed, jo zindagi ko mohobhat de aur pyar le.”’