Pruned

            She wore black and her face was dull and withered.

Mourners wondered how she would live her life without him. They were blissfully 

together for 30 summers. Or was it the way the world perceived ? Only she knew the 

truth. Dementia had taken a toll on his mind and had ravaged her soul. As a primary care-

giver she suffered the most.

Her fledglings had taken a leap in the open skies. She was instrumental in strengthening 

their delicate feathers. A proud mother, she saw them fly away to foreign lands. She 

waved to them with a heavy heart.

Her young  shoulders efficiently shouldered the domestic machinery running smoothly.

She tended to his sick mind and body as a dutiful wife. She had done enough to fulfill all 

her roles.

As the tender rays peeped through the curtains, she looked out at the  Fiat and 

Ambassador parked in the open space of her house. The vehicles were gnawed with 

dust and neglect. The place resembled a junkyard. The ground beneath was 

with moldy and dirty.

                              She had already made up her mind.

Two fortnights away, she stood with the blinds pushed away, sipping her ginger tea. 

She wore a baby pink tunic and  her face was adorned with a smile. 

The tiny sprouts craned their necks above the wet soil to greet her. The sunshine that 

spread over the newborns greens seemed to bless them . Soon Jasmine, roses , lilies will 

vie for space with ferns and succulents. The mint, cabbage and aubergines will nourish 

her soul. 

          The garden of her home and mind is blooming and blossoming once again.