Subah ka sunlight ghar ke ander softly aa raha tha par uske sath bhi ek ajeeb cold feeling thi.
Main utha aur expect Kiya maa ki smile ya soft voice sunne ko milegi :
"Beta breakfast ready!"
Per ghar mein silence thi.he corner mein unki yadein thi Maa ke cooking ka smell,unki soft humming _sab gone.
Maa ka old cot dekh kar main baith gaya,haath chehre par rakhe,aur silently ro diya.
Pehli baar laga, life meaningless ho gayi bina unke.walls aur clock ka ticking mujhe yaad dilata raha ki maa ke bina sab kuch empty hai.
Pehla din alone bahut hard tha.
Khud ke liye cooking karna
Kapde dhona
House clean karna
Small bills pay karna
Maa ne cupboard me jo coins aur notes secretly rakhe the, unhe count kiya. Bas ek week ka kaafi tha.
Stomach tight, haath trembling, aur heart heavy.
College jaana tha. Dress quickly kiya, old clothes pehne, jisme Maa ki faint perfume smell ab bhi thi.
Road muddy, shoes worn out. Par fark nahi pada. World muted lag raha tha, irrelevant.
Classroom me feel kiya ki main invisible hoon. Teachers questions pooch rahe the, par answers nahi aa rahe the.
Classmates ke carefree laughter aur life mujhe cruel lag rahi thi.
Jab street par chal raha tha, Maa ke sacrifices yaad aayi.
Din yaad aaya jab unhone gold chain bech kar mere school fees diye.
12-hour work ke baad bhi ghar aa kar smile rakhti thi.
Raat ko silently roti, pain hide kar ke.
Maine apne aap se promise kiya:
"Main Maa ko proud banaunga. Har ek sacrifice, har ek raat—waste nahi jaayegi."
First week alone hard tha.
Simple meals: roti, dal, vegetables
Clothes dhona
House clean karna
College + homework + part-time work
Har small task Maa ki yaad dilata tha. Cooking feel hota tha jaise Maa ke haath mein hota. Cleaning remind karti thi unki attention to detail. Walking on streets reminded me of Maa's walks to school.
Some classmates noticed my struggle:
Anjali ne apne brother ke old shoes diye
Rohit ne second-hand books aur guidance diya
Strangers ki small help bhi feel hoti thi, jaise world me kindness ab bhi exist karti hai.
Life manage karna alone difficult tha.
Morning early wake up
Cooking
Cleaning
College + Part-time job
Ek rainy night terrace par, notes fly ho gaye. Shivering, sitting on wet floor, maine whisper kiya:
"Maa… I will not fail. I cannot fail."
Life ab sirf exams ka nahi, Maa ke sacrifices ka tribute bhi tha.
Diary me likha tha:
Poor family, father lost early
Childhood me kaam, siblings aur mother ka care
Education impossible
Marriage ke baad father left
Maa ne silent hardship me Arjun ko raise kiya
Her courage shaped me without me noticing.
Night me window seat par, old pen aur empty notebook ke saath baitha.
Writing began: grief, anger, love, aur Maa ke sacrifices ko express karne ke liye.
"Maa, I wish you were here. I will work hard, I will make you proud."
Har letter aur small victory help karte grief ko cope karne me.
Week later, tutoring se return ke baad, small envelope under door.
Inside: letter + small key
Letter:
"Arjun, your mother left something for you. Use it wisely. – Someone who loved her."
Heart racing.
Questions:
Kya chhupa hai? Money? Letters? Ya kuch aur?
Room ordinary lag raha tha, par key heavy feel ho rahi thi—full of secrets Maa had carried silently.
(PART-2)Main key ko tightly haath mein pakad kar ghar ke har corner mein dhundhne laga.
Har yaad, har memory mere mind mein aayi. Maa ka smile, unki soft voice, unki gentle touch—sab ab yaad ban kar reh gaya tha.
Maine finally notice kiya wo small wooden cupboard jise Maa hamesha polish karti thi. Bottom me ek chhupa hua lock tha. Key insert ki aur click hua. Mere haath kaan kar rahe the.
Jab cupboard open kiya, andar ek bundle of letters, ek envelope marked "For Arjun," aur ek worn-out diary mili.
Diary ke first page par Maa ka handwriting tha: neat aur small.
"Aaj Arjun ke shoes fir se torn the. Main nahi chahti ki woh school me ashamed feel kare. Extra paisa save karungi. Chahe kitni tired hi kyu na hoon, woh kabhi incomplete nahi feel karega."
Mere haath kaan ho gaye. Har page par unki sacrifices, sleepless nights, worries likhi thi.
Ek aur letter:
"Mera beta, agar tu ye padh raha hai, toh shayad main tere saath nahi hoon. Par yaad rakh, har choice maine tere liye ki. Hard work kar, honesty maintain kar, aur kindness follow kar. Life difficult hai, par hope bhi bahut hai. Main tujhme believe karti hoon."
Main floor par baith gaya, tears rolling down.
Mujhe unki voice sunai di, whispering:
"Beta, Maa thak gayi hai. Par tera life ab shuru hai. Jeena seekh aur proud feel kar."
Grief phir se hit kiya, aur stronger. Main sirf diary aur letters hug kar raha tha.
Next weeks bahut tough the.
College aur part-time work manage karna:
Tutoring younger students
Evening café work
Books aur assignments complete karna
Har chhoti task yaad dilati Maa ki. Cooking, cleaning, walking—sab yaad dilata unki presence.
Raat ko window ke paas baithkar old sarees smell karti feeling, aur whisper karna:
"Maa… main proud banaunga. I promise."
Exams pass kiya with good marks.
Pehela paycheck directly Maa ke secret envelope me save kiya.
Classmates aur friends continued support: Anjali aur Rohit.
Mujhe realize hua, kindness exist karti hai—jaise Maa ne hamesha sikhaya.
Diary ke back cover me ek folded note mila:
"Arjun, agar kabhi tu lost feel kare ya danger me ho, instructions follow kar. Sirf un logo par trust kar jo maine mention kiya hai."
Inside envelope:
List of names
Small amount of money hidden in house
Instructions for emergencies
Mujhe realize hua Maa ne mere future plan silently prepare kiya tha.
Mrs. Sharma, neighbor, grocery bag leke aayi.
"Beta, Maa ne hamesha tujhe pyaar kiya. Tum tension mat lo. Hum help karenge."
Tears aa gaye. World harsh tha, par kindness still exist karti—just like Maa taught me.
Diary entry: Maa ka illness secret.
Dizziness, chest pain, exhaustion… par kaam continue.
"Main beta ko worry nahi karna chahti. Let him dream."
Her courage overwhelming. Main realize kiya ki maine unki value us waqt nahi samjhi jab tak wo nahi gayi.
Daily routine plan kiya:
Morning college
Afternoon tutoring
Evening part-time job
Night study
Letters likhta, emotional release.
"Maa… I wish you were here. I will work hard, make you proud, never forget your sacrifices."
Small victories: homework complete, coins save, part-time success.
Her teachings guide ban.
Scholarship program ke liye enroll kiya to reduce expenses.
Exams aur tasks har ek step tribute the Maa ke sacrifices ka.
Letters aur diary guiding light ban gayi. Life me challenges tough, par hope bhi zyada.
Library se return karte waqt, last envelope follow kiya.
Ghar ke floorboard ke neeche small hidden box mila. Haath trembling.
Inside:
Old photographs
Letters from people Maa helped
Small notebook with final message
"Arjun, ye sirf paisa ya letters nahi. Ye life lessons hai. Har kindness, har sacrifice, har tear—tera guide hai. One day tu samjhega. Trust yourself. Trust wisely."
Heart racing. Questions:
Kyu Maa ne ye secrets hide kiya?
List me mentions kaun the?
Lessons kya the?
Room alive feel hua unki presence se. Even death me, guide kar rahi thi.
Ek aur small red-sealed envelope door ke neeche:
"Arjun, next step teri responsibility hai. Be brave."
Main realize kiya: journey abhi start hui hai.
Aur apne dil me whisper kiya:
"Maa… main proud banaunga. I promise."