My eldest aunt, my khala, after the tragic death of her husband, came to live in multan. Her house was build beside our's, under the eye of my father & was completed till I was born. The two houses were linked & no one could really tell the apart. That's how my khala's family blended with our's.
I was born sick. Doctors had told my parents that I am difficult to handle & not to expect much of my survival. My mother often tell me about the following two months of my birth. She always held her head high while telling me because it was for her care only that I survived the phase I'm not even aware of. After the 9 months of my birth, mom had to give the joining to school & continue it, since she was on leave. The job was a need at that time. I was left with my khala every time she went for the job. She is always worried that I must be having some hard feeling for being left at home, even if I tell her repeatedly about not being so. Khala treated me as she had never treated her own children. The kindness & love she had offered still lingers in my soul & I could only give her respect in return because her love is still unconditional. Her daughter, Aliya baji, had completed her college studies & took responsibility of me. I am not grateful enough for the love these two ladies has bestowed me with in my early days. Aliya baji was my first tutor & I was a learned reader & writer before I've joined the school. My breakfast, lunch, need of toilet, all was dependent on them till I was admitted to school. I was an obedient & polite child from the start. Because I was taught to be one.
Mom was always worried about me & I was never allowed to go in the streets, even when I was big enough for that. It was not till 9th standard that I was allowed to go to school on bicycle. Otherwise it was always mom who do the duties. Our school was on her way to her teaching job. She learned to drive car for the sake of our duties. She always had our lunch boxes & breakfast ready. I find nothing to complaint about because of her job. She still performs her housewife duties along with the job. We all siblings were best suited & well fed through out our lives. I have no idea how mom manages to be that much busy & I endure her for that. She's the best.
My father was busy with his workshop. It required much of his assistance. He could never depend on his workers & they always need a watch. As he had problems of his own so mom took the duties in her hands. But still paa did everything a father is obliged to do. He helped my mom in every possible way for raising me. When ever I was sick, I watched my paa, brushing me with wet cloth during high fever. It was always paa, who remember to give me medicine on time. When ever I was fatigued, paa always massage my body till i feel better. As I got sick often, it was paa who got up through night & fanned me in the hours of load shedding. He bought me toys & things I demanded. He use his fridays well (holiday) & drive us all to the amusement parks, markets, restaurant where ever we wanted to go. My mom never drive in night & paa was always there for my little outings.
After having a glance at my childhood, I concluded that I was a difficult child to raise. I fall sick oftenly & needed care which khala & my parents provided the best. That's one big reason for seeing my childhood as a perfect phase of my life. I am learned in manners & behavior because of the the way i was raised. Every family have problems, but i was unaware of any till I reach my higher secondary level. That's what my parents did, keeping me away from every negative stuff & providing me the best in their reach. So I learned not to be worried about the problems you are facing, always show your best strength for the sake of others, who care for you & need your care. There's always a solution to the problem which will come to you soon. Always have faith in Allah.
