All my life (Meri saari zindagi)
by Leoni Venter
Prologue
The sun seemed to rise dripping from the lake. For an instant molten drops clung to the horizon, then it tore itself free and rose triumphantly above the tree tops, evaporating the last vestiges of night in mere moments. On the shore of the lake two men dressed in pure white stood with their arms stretched wide, basking in the light for a few more minutes.
Unconventional it might be, this version of Suryanamaskar, the Sun Greeting, but Raj Aryan did not care. It was a given that he would do things his way, finding the beauty and love in life and everything he did. As he had explained to his companion once, he did not have a battle going on with the sun, so there was no need to stare it down every morning. He appreciated the beauty of the morning, and the time spent with Narayan Shankar, his father in law in all but actual fact. The bond they shared, that of love for Megha, Shankar's daughter, made them as close as father and son, and even though she had died years before, she was there with them, personified in the beauty of the day.
As they walked back from the lakeshore to the imposing buildings of Gurukul, the college that he was principal of, Raj reflected on everything that had changed in the year since he had taken over from Narayan Shankar. Once rigidly ruled by Shankar, based on tradition, honour and discipline, the gurukul's corridors were now filled with music and laughter. Raj led by love, lived as example and inspired his students and staff with his positive outlook on life. Even Narayan Shankar was no longer the bitter, lonely man he had been, mellowing in the company of the man his daughter had loved and died for.
Yes, it had been a good year. The autumn winds were once again blowing leaves to swirl around their ankles, but such was the warmth of love in their surroundings, that no one could begrudge the end of summer.
by Leoni Venter
Prologue
The sun seemed to rise dripping from the lake. For an instant molten drops clung to the horizon, then it tore itself free and rose triumphantly above the tree tops, evaporating the last vestiges of night in mere moments. On the shore of the lake two men dressed in pure white stood with their arms stretched wide, basking in the light for a few more minutes.
Unconventional it might be, this version of Suryanamaskar, the Sun Greeting, but Raj Aryan did not care. It was a given that he would do things his way, finding the beauty and love in life and everything he did. As he had explained to his companion once, he did not have a battle going on with the sun, so there was no need to stare it down every morning. He appreciated the beauty of the morning, and the time spent with Narayan Shankar, his father in law in all but actual fact. The bond they shared, that of love for Megha, Shankar's daughter, made them as close as father and son, and even though she had died years before, she was there with them, personified in the beauty of the day.
As they walked back from the lakeshore to the imposing buildings of Gurukul, the college that he was principal of, Raj reflected on everything that had changed in the year since he had taken over from Narayan Shankar. Once rigidly ruled by Shankar, based on tradition, honour and discipline, the gurukul's corridors were now filled with music and laughter. Raj led by love, lived as example and inspired his students and staff with his positive outlook on life. Even Narayan Shankar was no longer the bitter, lonely man he had been, mellowing in the company of the man his daughter had loved and died for.
Yes, it had been a good year. The autumn winds were once again blowing leaves to swirl around their ankles, but such was the warmth of love in their surroundings, that no one could begrudge the end of summer.