To be beautiful is to be loved....

Mother s telling that,

My daughter was reading her English composition aloud. It was titled My Mother . My mother cooks food for the family .She looks after me and my brother. My mother is beautiful . Suddenly she stopped. Leaving her book half open on the smooth mosaic floor, she walked to the kitchen where I was busy preparing some snacks for tea.
Mummy, what does beautiful mean? she asked, tugging at my sari. Beautiful is someone or something that is very attractive to look at I explained without any thought on the subject.

You mean like all those actresses you see on TV? she persisted. That s right dear I said, hoping to end the discussion, not knowing that the next question from my cute little chatterbox was going to be a whopper.

Are you beautiful? My teacher says so in the composition.

She asked rather doubtfully looking at my uncombed hair, the sweaty face and the old almost ragged sari.

I was totally taken aback by her question. What was one to answer? In all probability she was comparing my looks with those of some film star and after all it was I who defined beauty as good looks. Suddenly I hit upon an idea to resolve her confusion.

Why don t you ask your dad? Surely he can tell you whether I m beautiful or not resolving in mind to brief my husband in advance about the scenario There was a brief period of peace as my daughter took out her colouring book and sketch pens. The English composition was temporarily forgotten albeit till the master of the house made his appearance.

As soon as my husband reached home and had his evening coffee, I saw her rush to him Dad , I have a doubt She said placing herself on his lap. He and I exchanged knowing glances and I slowly walked away. But I couldn t contain my curiosity and I shamelessly listened at the keyhole to hear the father-daughter talk.

What is it my dear daughter? my husband asked stroking her soft silky hair. Dad , is Mummy beautiful? Of course she is .Don t you think so, my little one? he asked. Well…. She began rather doubtfully Let me show you our wedding album said my husband taking out the big bound book from the shelf. See here, now say, isn t she the most beautiful person in the world?

See, your mummy was wrong when she said beautiful is just looking good.When you love some one, the person becomes beautiful in your eyes .

My daughter was silent for a while …She seemed lost in thought. Then a smile slowly crept into her face as she chanted playfully amma is beautiful……acha is beautiful because …….because I love you both…. I had tears in my eyes.

I did not know how much of it my daughter understood ,but I knew I was lucky to have found some one who loved me enough to think of me as the most beautiful person in the world . To be beautiful is to be loved. I hoped my daughter would one day grow up to love some one to whom she would be the most beautiful in the world .

I could hear the loud reading of the composition once again. My mother looks after me and my brother. My mother is beautiful.. .

Thnaks Subash