SMILE IS PRECIOUS
“Say, cheese…” Maya teacher said to the class. She was children’s dearest teacher who taught music and instruments.
At once, there heard loud ‘cheese’ happily made by the children with their flowery faces. Yet, there was one little girl, Priya, with a gloomy face. Priya always remained silent, sad and gloomy even though she was the topper in the class in studies. She rarely mingled with other children.
Priya belonged to a very poor family. She lived with her grandma and grandpa. Her parents were far away for work in a small town. Priya could meet her parents only once in a year during the summer holidays.
“Why don’t you smile, Priya? You will look more beautiful with a smiling face” said Maya teacher.
Priya stared at the teacher and stood silently without giving any reply. Children looked anxiously around. “Dear children, I would like to see our dearest Priya smiling and playing in joy and mirth. If anyone can make her happy and enthusiastic then a special gift will be presented to the winner as a token of appreciation” announced Maya teacher.
Children started murmuring. The bell rang for the lunch time and the teacher left the class. Little Pihu and Piya finished their lunch very fast and sat under the fully bloomed golden shower tree. The school stood on a hillock full of large trees and bushes with various birds, butterflies and peacocks.
Both Pihu and Piya thought of changing Priya’s nature. “We must observe Priya for sometime to have some idea about her routine” said little Piya. Pihu who was looking at parrots on the golden shower tree nodded in agreement. Pihu and Piya worked out some plans and later returned to their class. The bell rang in the evening. Children started rushing back to their homes. Priya’s house was very near to the school. Pihu and Piya followed little Priya. They saw Priya walking fast to her house lonely.
On the very next day morning, Pihu and Piya left their homes early and waited outside Priya’s house. Priya came out only a few minutes before the first bell rang.
During lunch time, Pihu and Piya once again discussed the matter. They realized the root cause of Priya’s mood swing was nothing but the absence of her parents. Priya’s grandparents could not focus well on Priya amidst their household works in their old age. As Priya remained in her own world, other children also did not much worry about her. Priya, thus, remained in a shell of solitude.
Next day was Sunday. The rain had just stopped and slowly the villagers started coming out of their houses. Pihu and Piya reached at Priya’s house. Grandma was surprised to see the children at her doorstep as she had never seen any of Priya’s friends visiting the house.
“Good morning, grandma we need your permission to take Priya for an outing in the hillock and the valley”, said Piya. By then, Pihu had told grandpa about their plans. Thus, grandma and grandpa forcibly sent little Priya with Pihu and Piya.
“Priya, you are our guest today. We are going to treat you as you are the topper in the class”, said Pihu. Piya gave toffees and a beautiful hat to Priya. Pihu gave her a peacock feather. Pihu and Piya held Priya’s hands while walking together.
“Look Priya”, Piya said, “We are going to walk around the hillock and the valley. You must open your eyes and ears to see the beauty and hear the melody of the Nature”. Pihu added – “We will play, sing, dance and relax”.
Pihu and Piya took Priya to the hilltop. They walked on the narrow pathway amidst plants and bushes. Plenty of flowers in different colours and shapes welcomed the children. Butterflies and dragonflies fluttered around them. Birds chirped and welcomed them. Rabbits and peacocks suspiciously looked at the children. Squirrels ran around them. Monkeys jumped from trees to trees showing off their naughty mood. From top of the hill, the children watched the beauty of the valley. Priya was full of surprise as she had never experienced the wonders of Nature. Standing at the edge of the cliff, Pihu and Piya laughed loud and the sound echoed in the valley. Little Priya clapped for her friends and laughed louder. Priya’s clap and laugh echoed in the valley. Her face bloomed like a lotus.
Priya ran behind rabbits and butterflies. Grasshoppers jumped swiftly on seeing the playful children around them. Cuckoo sang melodiously. Sun hid behind the dark clouds letting the children play joyfully. Later, Pihu and Piya took Priya to the valley. Ramu chacha took them for a ride in his bullock cart. The children played hide and seek in the mango orchard. Finally, they reached at the river bank. Sitting on the rock, the children put their legs in the water. Little fishes gently bit their legs. Priya laughed a lot. Her face was full of smile. She splashed water with her legs and made Pihu and Piya wet. By then, some more children joined them and all of them played cheerfully.
The children happily returned home. Grandma and grandpa could not believe their eyes on seeing Priya with full of smile and happiness. They thanked Pihu and Piya with a basket of mangoes.
Next day, little Priya reached school with a smiling face. Maya teacher appreciated Pihu and Piya for their observation, analyzing and executing the desired plans for achieving the task. Piya’s beautiful eyes shined with rays of happiness while Pihu’s pretty face bloomed with her cute little dimple on her cheek.
“Smile is precious. Childhood is one of the best times in our life. All of you must celebrate your childhood with your friends and dear ones apart from your studies. Pihu and Piya took Priya to a world of smile by showing her the wonders of Mother Nature. Never stick to your worries and sorrows but try to find happiness. Nothing is permanent in this life” Maya teacher addressed the class. Children clapped happily. Priya’s face was full of smile. She was no more a gloomy girl!!!
Muraly TV
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