‘Why am I not a child of heaven?’ My thoughts continued with a cluster of complex questions. Am I a child of heaven? Or may be it is God’s wish that i should not suffer too much?
It was another typical day in their life. The two children – the boy and the girl- were students and was very much aware of how their father strive to meet the ends. It was a poor Arab family. The boy, who was the elder of the children, accompanied his father in search of a job for his father. His father was a good gardener. They knocked each and every gate for a gardening task; but only added up the disappointment. Even then the boy was so passionate to get a work for his father. He was very well aware of the family situation. Finally the father got a task in a house and was well paid.
The girls and boys had different timings in the school. This helped them to adjust with a pair of shoes. After the girl child’s classes were over, She would ran to a closed place and her brother would have been waiting for her there to exchange the only dilapidated, ‘good’ shoes that they had. She was so much fascinated with the attracting, good-looking shoes of her friends. Once she noticed that her friend was wearing a new pair of shoes and asked her what she did with the old shoes. She got the reply that the old pair of shoes was thrown out by her mother. She was stunt and amazed with the answer.
One fine day, the boy noticed an announcement in his school about a long distance racing competition(4 km) where the third prize was a pair of shoes. He decided to get those pairs for her daughter. Even if the registration was closed for participating in the race, he begged for a chance to his master(sports teacher) and literally stood on his knees. At last the master changed his mind and gave a chance to register in the race.
It was the D-day. He could see the children from other schools and were exercising, supported by their parents. They had enough to eat and drink. Everyone to take care of them. But what about him? The race began. The words of his sister echoed in his mind. Yes, he need to get the third position for the shoes. He looked back and checked whether he was in the third. No, He is in the first position. He slowed down. He was pushed down by other runners. He was behind so many. But the words of his sister gave him the strength to be back in the run. His mental desire to win made him to the first five. And they could see the finishing line. He was in the fourth position now. His master was running outside the track, encouraging him. He need to get the shoes. He was pushing himself forward- both mentally and physically.
Before he could understand what was going on, he realised he was cared by his master. Oh! he was the winner. The camera flashed many times with different people around the winner. But he was so much worried and was neither in a position to look upwards nor to pose for the photo. He reached home and his sister was waiting for him- with the pair of shoes. The smile in his sister’s face faded out. It was another day in their life, as usual. The girl had gone to help her mother while he was caring the wounds in his legs due to the old shoes.
The above lines are based on a film – ‘Children of Heaven’. It is a very nice Arab movie which shows the life of a poor Arab family, not knowing how to meet the everyday expenses; especially when the children are studying. It is a touching film which shows the mindset of the children who are aware that they are poor. Given an opportunity, every one, especially children, should see this movie so that they may not take their life and fortune as granted.
“The life is always rocking-
Mixed up with challenges and opportunities.
Some may be lazy,
Calling it a fate;
Some may be hardworking,
Who always decide their fate.”
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