A Story – Providence
(7 votes, average: 4.57 out of 5, rated)
Loading ...I was at Sydney airport; it was quite late at night
Seated in a café, I was awaiting my next flight
A lady came and asked me if the adjoining chair was free…
She was beautiful and chic… but looked unhappy to me…
She stared vacantly out of the window…I did not mean to pry…
Was she just an unhappy soul or was she trying hard not to cry?
Suddenly she turned and asked – “Can I talk to you?”
I nodded, even as she apologized “I don’t mean to disturb you….”
“I am here to face a tragedy… I just lost my only son…
He met with a motorbike accident…He was only twenty one!”
He was her only family …her source of strength she said
I fought back my tears and sorrowfully could only shake my head…
A young man seated beside us suddenly dropped his cup
The hot liquid spilled all over the table…as three of us sprang up…
“I am extremely sorry” he stammered…embarrassed and dismayed
“Its ok, Son, it happens…” I tenderly heard her say…
He looked a trifle startled and sat down with a loud sigh
I thought he over reacted and wondered really why…
Till he bowed his head and muttered what I could barely hear him say …
“My mother died here last week …I buried her yesterday…”
They both stared at each other …their eyes conveyed their pain
“My son died in an accident”, She whispered softly…again
I could not wait longer…My flight was about to go
I said Good bye… God bless you! …Somehow could not say no more….
They kept in touch always and shared their sorrow and pain
Each time one of them calls me…I relive that memory again
Was it a coincidence? That brought them face to face?
Was it just pure chance or luck or was it God’s grace?
I will never know the answer but some how that very day…
Changed my life forever…In a very positive way!
53 Comments
I was at Sydney Airport one month back. After reading this heart-rendering poem, I felt as if I was going through the same experience. Wonderful poem. I am sure it would touch many hearts. Congrats!!!
seema Reply:
January 23rd, 2009 at 2:03 pm
@prahbat, Thanks . like I always say.. a scientists comments hold a lot of weight for me… Thanks for your persistent encouragement, ideas and comments…
VERY TOUCHING…..
VERY NICE ONE SEEMAJI
MUST BE GOD’S PLAN
seema Reply:
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:43 pm
@dr.paliwal, Thank You Dr.Saab Its always lovely to receive your encouraging comments.
This is really…so nice .
Surely, it tells us about the hidden facts deep inside hearts,of almost every individual.Yet, to be Positive.
Great Going…
seema Reply:
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:54 pm
@Syd, Thanks Syd… You have not been reading the poems posted by me of late? … Pls do take a look and at other poems on this site too.. there are some real awesome ones….
gr8 seema ji
very optimistic
seema Reply:
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:52 pm
@rajdeep bhattacharya, Thanks Rajdeep…am glad I could share this experience with all of you…
Good poems are perspired… Some acclaimed ones are often conspired…But great poems are always inspired.Be it Iliad and Odyssey or Aeneid of the west or our very own Ramayan or Mahabharat. A great inspiration inspires a great poem and this great poem inspires a great many. From happening to poem and the happenings again. The great cycle completed. The life cycle. Of course most of these inspired happenings may not be as great yet each as complete as the inspiration and complete to the persons inspired. That’s a Poem.
Great Poem Indeed.An inspired one.
May no son remains without a mother. May no kids remain without parents and let every parents have sons and daughters to shower their incessant love and shape the lives of the young ones who would shape the life of a nation, in the most lovely way.The peace
seema Reply:
January 23rd, 2009 at 1:17 pm
@Daring, Thanks a wonderful feedback as always…..Thanks a ton for taking the time to read and comment on it.. really appreciate the feedback and the analysis…From happening to poem and the happenings again…. so true…
Really touching… so simple yet so intense… keep it going
seema Reply:
January 23rd, 2009 at 2:42 pm
@Diksha, Thanks Diksha.. finally u made it to p4poetry
This really would rate right up there,
relating an incident thats left an impact on ones mind,
cause u felt the pain both ways,,,and wow, what a lovely narration.
even reading this made me feel almost witness to what may have transpired at that tym,
u cud convey the entire scene, almost live..
Seema Reply:
January 23rd, 2009 at 3:28 pm
@viju, yes Viju… The incident left a deep impact …often thought about it…specially during testing times…am glad I got the opportunity to share it with everyone…It almost feels like doing justic to that wonderful lesson of life…
A good narration…..Liked it…….Used of Rhyming is appropriate….great ma’am…..
Simplicity again…..
Stars = 4
wow! uh-mah-zing.
to lose someone you love & that too at such a young age, is totaly unfair!
very good job,
keep it up!
p.s you commented on my poem “moving on” i hope you got my reply. i’m new here so dont know much lol.
seema Reply:
January 23rd, 2009 at 8:35 pm
@Dipika Syngai, Well yes saw your reply.. welcome to P4P .. Thanks for the above comment… really loved your poem and style of writing.. hope to see loads more from you..keep writing…
A real experience put in such a realistic manner. Very touching. Reminds me of the book ” love is real” where souls meet again.
incidence of this sort makes u take notice of the big guy up there , precisely when reason does oneupmanship on faith.
My take—-it was meant to be.
absolutely awesome.yes,the story is just beautiful.Writing style is so convincing,not once did it overshadow the subtle storyline,which did the trick.
Great.
(+)-Great story,half-way through the poem,I found myself appreciating you for your way of thinking
(-)-None in particular
seema Reply:
January 24th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
@Shreyansh Sen Sharma, Thanks…it was really not a poem I was writing…It was like telling a story…sharing this amazing experience with people… I guess that came through and helped the flow.. Thanks for your comments… feels like having done justice to that incident. Thanks a ton!
by the way;did this happen for real??
seema Reply:
January 24th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
@Shreyansh Sen Sharma, Yes it was real.. the lady… beautiful.. an American… dressed in a formal black suit… a string of pearls adorned her neck..making me wonder how she had the strength to dress so well after such a tragedy….the boy too was real… and the whole story unfurled over intermittent dialogue over a period of three hours….But I changed the time frame for the poetic impact…. and did leave a life long impact….
Shreyansh Sen Sharma Reply:
January 24th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
@seema, you are so lucky that you got to be a part of that incident…!
seema Reply:
January 24th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
@Shreyansh Sen Sharma, Yes … and equally lucky to be able to share it with so many sensitive people on this site… made the writing worth its while in gold!
Seema, try not to say everything in verses. You are not Vikram Seth.
A very bland poem, for an incident, very emotional.
seema Reply:
January 24th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
@Atul, Atul… for me poetry is rhyme… I cannot write without rhyme and flow….did not wish to make the incident melodramatic stuck to realism and what I felt and experienced…this was not a poetry for me… it was like penning down an incident that made me change my perspective in life… and when have you ever appreciated my poetry? But glad you take the trouble to read them all..
Too good, very beautiful story poem,
though poem full of grief, but enlightening too.
Kudos for this write.
What we often dismiss as coincidence,
Has a much higher meaning, a providence,
To regard and understand it’s significance,
Distinguishes between men & men with substance,
Thanks Seema, for this poem of an enlightening incidence.
woven into a story of deeply significant inference
seema Reply:
January 24th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
@VishVnand, Thank you…your comments are like the icing on the cake…very enjoyable….encouraging and enlightening!!!
I am speechless. Beautiful words that touched my heart.
seema Reply:
January 24th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
@Sachin, Thanks for the heartfelt comment…hope to read a poem by you soon…
Seema,
God has His own ways to make us feel pain and also compensate. I hope and pray that they both can be source of strength to each other. Nice of you to share it. Yes, we must remain positive no matter what the circumstances are.
Take care
Wow..eerie. but very, very beautiful
Seema Reply:
January 26th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
@shinjini, yes life is sometimes..eerie…beautifully eerie….
Beautifully written..Very touching…
seema Reply:
January 26th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
@rupak, I am touched…..You finally read and commented …how about writing a poem next?
The poem left me with a pensive and brooding mood. somewhere something, deep down heart had been stirred
and all I could was to look in a vaccum and be thoughtless.
A great story indeed and poetry loved it. Thanks.
seema Reply:
January 29th, 2009 at 10:30 am
@Pramod Khilery, Thanks. Thanks a lot.
Hmmmmm…you have put alot of thought into this poem and i really appreciate that. However, the poem can be made crisper by shortening the length of each line. Also, slight editing could be done.
One correction recommended.
This –
I said Good bye… God bless you! …Somehow could not say no more….
Should read as-
I said Good bye… God bless you! …Somehow could say no more….
And you were right, this is a good poem 
seema Reply:
January 29th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
@Preeti Datar, No Preeti..did not have to think much at all… just relived the memory… and words came flowing out…
Secondly editing would have killed the rhyme and flow …which for me is very important…
Some how could not say n more… Typo error .. thanks for pointing it out..good eye for detail…
For me this is more than a poem… its a memory.. a lesson … a tribute and a journey….very very close to the heart!
Congratulations for winning.
Very good poem, indeed.I saw
this poem only now.I apologise.
seema Reply:
February 6th, 2009 at 1:32 am
@medhini, Thank you Medhiniji. Am glad you liked the poem. Please do not apologize. Thanks once again.
The above poem is based on a real life experience of mine.. adapted slightly for the poetic dimension … it has always played on my mind and am glad I could share it with every one through this forum….
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Sam Reply:
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:49 pm
@seema,
The best way to keep the feelings alive is to pen them down and it will there forever. Seema you have done the same.Good Job.
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seema Reply:
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:58 pm
@Sam, Thanks Sameer…I felt good sharing this experience with all of you….and feels even nicer to receive such feedback…
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