The Gift
It had been a week since Sugandhi had returned home.
Sugandhi stood with her family in front of the deity Parashakti. As the priest performed a special pooja, she prayed to the goddess with newfound enthusiasm.
When she opened her eyes, Sakthi was standing before her, gazing at Parashakti. As soon as Sakthi opened her eyes, she gestured to Sugandhi to come to the side, and the two walked together.
“Sakthi, I came to your house two days ago to see you… but none of you were there?”
“We had gone to see Sithar regarding a project matter, aunty!”
“Did you meet him?”
“No, aunty! We couldn’t meet him! But for sure, we’ll find an answer soon.”
“Okay… I actually came to your house to give you a gift.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary, aunty.”
“No, Sakthi! You spent so much on my hospital expenses… it felt unfair to give you money… You’ve brought my life back on track when it was about to end!” Sugandhi kissed her on the forehead, took a ring from her purse, and slipped it onto Sakthi’s finger. Though Sakthi was happy, she felt uncomfortable accepting the gold ring.
Seeing her hesitation, Sugandhi said, “Sakthi, you are like a daughter to me… don’t think anything of it! Keep it as a memory of me!”
“Okay, aunty!” Sakthi smiled as she stood there.
Everything is for the good
“Everything you said has happened.” Sakthi didn’t understand what Sugandhi was referring to.
“What are you talking about, aunty?”
Sugandhi explained everything that had happened after she returned home.
When Sugandhi had gone home, her children hadn’t left her side. They told her that the three days she had been away had felt like hell for them.
“Mom, you shouldn’t leave us and go anywhere! We’ll do whatever you say… we don’t care if you only listen to Dad… we don’t have any more worries… we need you, Mom! We were so scared we wouldn’t see you again… Please, Mom… we won’t talk back to you again! Please don’t leave us alone.” They wept and poured their hearts out to her. Sugandhi clearly understood their state of mind.
She realized her mistake.
Sugandhi was angry with herself. She was the one at fault! She hadn’t valued her husband’s thoughts or considered her children’s desires.
Upon reflecting, she realized that she was in the wrong. She had regretted that her children didn’t respect her, but she had failed to consider whether she had respected them. The time she had wasted would never return. She didn’t want to waste any more time.
“I won’t go anywhere… you both are the most important to me! I won’t go against your wishes anymore… I trust you won’t make any mistakes… I’ll always support you from now on!” When she said this, her children were surprised, but they were also happy.
They stayed with her until late that night. They didn’t let her cook, instead ordering food and talking about many things. It was new to her that her children spoke so much.
Sugandhi felt joy that her inner voice urging her to live for her children had finally come true. She was overwhelmed with their love.
Realization
They say that one only realizes the value of something or someone when it’s missing. Both sides had now understood that truth.
Sugandhi didn’t look at her husband’s face, but he looked at her face a hundred times a minute. She knew he was watching her. Still, her heart refused to soften for his yearning gaze. He had wronged her, after all. He had to be punished for it. Her heart coldly kept him at a distance.
That night, she slept with her children and didn’t let him enter the room. Three days passed like that.
He asked for forgiveness
On the fourth day, after the children had gone to school, she was cooking when she saw a shadow move behind her. She turned to see her husband standing in front of her. It had been nearly a week since she last saw his face. She felt uncomfortable seeing his condition. Her mind recalled how much she had once adored his face. Could her heart really forget the love she had for him so easily? She expected him to say something, but instead, he fell at her feet. She was shocked!
She didn’t even think to tell him to get up. Not wanting to stand there, she went and sat on a chair in the balcony.
The same shock she had felt when she first discovered his betrayal struck her now as he fell at her feet.
Why should he fall at her feet? Did he know that she had found out about his betrayal? Her mind raced with questions, but before she could find answers, he sat next to her in another chair. She turned away from him.
A heart that refuses to forgive
“Suga,” he said.
It had been years since he had called her by that name. Her heart almost melted at his voice, but she quickly warned herself.
“Forgive me, Suga… I made a terrible mistake… I didn’t realize that you are my life…”
‘Forgiveness is only for mistakes made unknowingly. How can someone ask for forgiveness after knowingly committing a wrong? You only forgive what can be forgiven. How can I forgive or forget what you did?’ She didn’t want to speak to him, and her mind laughed in bitter irony.
“I have no one without you”
“I realized the moment you went missing… that call to the priest from my phone… then Madi also told me… I was in a two-year relationship with her. When I lost you, I realized she was only with me to scam me for money. When you disappeared, I didn’t know what to do, Suga… You were always with me like my shadow… I didn’t realize your worth… Now I understand your pain… No matter what I do, or how much I ask for forgiveness, nothing will change. I’ve become unworthy of you… If you can’t forgive me, at least bear with me… Please… I won’t ask you for anything anymore… Be as you wish… But please, just talk to me… I am the one who wronged you. I am the one who should feel ashamed to look at your face… I can’t live without you, Suga!”
He wasn’t speaking in a composed manner. Sugandhi had never heard him speak with such humility before. She had thought there was no place for her in this family, but now she realized that without her, the family didn’t exist at all.
Hearing him speak, her heart truly softened. But in the next moment, she couldn’t bring herself to embrace him like before. He was right that he shouldn’t feel ashamed to look at her face. With that decision, she looked straight into his eyes and started speaking.
Time heals all wounds
“I can’t punish you! My love and affection for you were real… they gave me the courage to live… but not the courage to punish you. I don’t know if I can live with you like before as if nothing happened. From now on, my children’s wishes are my priority! My heart will only change based on your behavior!”
She didn’t want to forgive him, nor did she want to punish him! Time would have to heal her heart and mend the wounds. Now that she knew why all this had happened to her, she was at peace.
After hearing everything, it was Sakthi’s turn to be amazed.
Sakthi’s prediction came true
Sakthi had hoped that Sugandhi’s life would turn around for the better, and it had unfolded just as she had wished. After Sugandhi left, Sakthi recalled her conversation with her friend.
“What happened, Sakthi?” her friend asked.
“I’ve finally convinced them!” Sakthi said.
She explained their conversation that day to her friend.
“So, everything that happened in her life was until her husband cheated on her! How did you predict the rest?”
“Don’t speak too loudly… I thought about what would be best for her and said it! If I had told her everything would happen based on her past life, she might not have acted positively.”
“Let good things happen”
“But what if her husband doesn’t change? What if her children don’t respect her?”
“She won’t care much about her husband anymore… she’s already accepted his punishment!”
“And the children?”
“She will change regarding the children! She used to think only of her husband and never understood her children’s feelings!”
“How are you so sure?”
“Her son unlocked his father’s phone and gave it to her for her sake! If he didn’t love or respect her, why would he do that? It was because his mother only saw his father and never cared about him that he lost hope in her. Now, they’ll understand their mother and give her the love she deserves!”
“And her husband?”
“That depends on his karma!”
“Our project was a success, Sakthi… you’ve grown so much!”
“After all the psychology we studied and the case studies we’ve done for the past two years, wouldn’t it make sense if I couldn’t tell what will happen?”
Toward a Prosperous Life
Perhaps what Sakthi said about Sugandhi’s past life is indeed true! It might have been Parashakti herself, through Sakthi, who wanted to convey this to her! Thinking along these lines, Sakthi looked at Mother Parashakti, as if smiling at her. The sound of the temple bells echoed, affirming, “Yes!” It all seemed to be Parashakti’s doing!
Watching Sugandhi board the vehicle with her family, her face blooming with joy, Sakthi felt content as she returned to her home.
THE END
Author’s Note:
“The evil and the good are not brought by others.”
In life, we only receive what we give. Whether it’s in this life or the next, the actions we take come back to us. If we act with good intentions, good will come our way. Everyone must realize that if we want to lead a fulfilling life, we must be conscious of what we do and how we interact with the world around us.
By striving for excellence, the common good remains protected.
🙏Thank you🙏
🙏Vanakkam🙏
— S. Vinodhini