Certainty

Quick and new resolves continue to surprise me.

Roma is an 8 year old girl I met during a volunteering program for a mid-day meal scheme, at a nearby school. She was responsible for lining up the girls of her class for the meals to be served that day.

An overly enthusiastic and chirpy kid, she happily went about her chores; making sure everyone from her class had collected their plates and food, before she sat down to eat.

I too, sat close by, perplexed, as I saw the little girls chat away to glory and laugh endlessly on the silliest of jokes. Every now and then, a pair of eyes would drift towards the containers of food by the volunteers' side, only to return back to the plates that were seemingly empty by now,

And then very courageously did our little Roma walk up to me and ask for a second serving.

The timid yet profoundly bold utterance of the word "Didi" (elder-sister) worked like a signal to the others in the group. And soon several girls were approaching us for another serving.

The entire incident played clearly in front of my eyes, resonating to soundly with another one right out of a Dickens' novel. Only, today the circumstances were different. But one thing that remained congruent was the spirit these little brave-hearts had shown.

A simple but sure step had made the day a memorable one for certain!