Rain drops

A Mother’s sentiments about her daughter with ‘special’ eyes.

Mole (phrase for referring to your daughter fondly in Malayalam), the most exciting thing happened to me today! I want so much to tell you all about it and share my excitement with you, but at three years of age you wouldn’t understand the significance of my discovery

You were right, Mole ; I heard the rain drops  fall today. I was sitting right here on our balcony  , looking out into the sunset , when I heard it. The autumn breeze was stiff, and the coconut trees were swaying . The clouds had become dark and the  sunrays had long disappeared. This they have done for hundreds of years—but today was different—at least for me—because I heard it. I heard it for the first time …..

Ever since we learned how seriously impaired your special eyes were, I have tried to teach you more about this world. I’ve struggled to explain what clouds look like, about the beauty of trees and the rich green of the paddyfields. And oh, how we’ve argued. You say the trees are fighting; I say the wind moves them so that their branches bump into each other. You say the sky looks the same throughout , I say it depends on the time of the day and the season. And I’ve tried to explain that we don’t hear rain drops falling we see them and at the most we can feel the drops.

Today, as I sat alone on the step, I shut my eyes and listened. It was one of those rare moments when I didn’t need to be anywhere or do anything. I just listened. And then I heard them. I heard the leaves rustle in the air as they fell—bumping into each other. When they reached their destination, they tumbled across each other as the breeze stirred them. An then I heard the rain drops… The beautiful sound they made when they caressed the Earth’s soil. The puddle of water splashing as the new rain drops joined them. The restless chirping of the birds. A soft thunder filled my ears. I can hear without straining now. I just needed to tune down my own mind so that I could hear. My closed eyes filled with tears as I listened..

I listened to the rain drops for the first time…..Mole , I love you.

 You don’t see much anymore, but God has given you perceptions that I can’t understand. Thank you for sharing a little bit of your gift with me. Thank you for insisting that I listen...to the rain drops.