Cauvery Issue and The Half Filled Water Bottle

By: Sharon Supriya 

Joanna had to be picked up from school, than her regular drop from school bus today, due to Cauvery water dispute, Karnataka Bandh. Although the school administrative were keen enough of in ensuring the safety of the child, we still decided we pick her up in person.
Joanna was glad to see her dad waiting to ride her home. And even more glad to see me waiting near the gate eagerly, when she reached home.
Naturally, I was worried about her safety, and as soon I saw her I was all hugs and kisses. I carried her inside the house, made her sit on my lap and while I removed her shoes, I asked, "How was your day at school? Did you have fun?" (That's my everyday question once I see her after school). Till now she was actually enjoying the extra attention she was getting all cuddled on the sofa. Suddenly in a jiffy, she got down from the sofa with her eyes popped out and hand all widened and said, "Mumma, forget school, you know what happened when we were riding home? There was one shop.. and there were so many people who were throwing out things from this shop... so many... they were shouting so loud.." I dragged the dramatic princess close to me and asked, "Oh my baby! did you get scared?" , "No I wanted to see what all they were doing, but Papa didnt stop, he drove zoooop fastttt."
Somewhere, I didn't want it to panic her, so we laughed over it and put an end to the topic. After that we surfed almost all Bangalore news channels to see how the situation was, she noticed me talking to some journalist friends of mine on the events unwrapping, and whether they reached home safe...etc. I knew she was listening, so I kept telling her go to the other room and play. She obeyed. But frequently came back to ask, whats going on?

Finally, I said "its a FIGHT for water between two states... Karnataka and Tamil Nadu."
To that she responded with her signature style of surprise "something like Syria warrrrr?" (Yes we talk about news headline with utter maturity and in utmost simplicity.. may sound absurd but we do.)
I laughed out loud and said "Noooo, its not that bad, its nothing like Syria War.. don't compare. Thats too big an issue, this is small, should be over by evening".
She shrugged her shoulders and said "oh! so there will be no bomb blast here, building collapsing and swimmingggg to other countries ..."

To that I responded with a little laughter to ease her imagination "Errrr... just some burning of vehicles and destruction of hotels to summarise." "hmmm... "she said.

"But mumma, what are they fighting for?" she picked up the word fight in the conversation and paid no attention to the word water.
"I told you just now, because of waterrrr"
"What waterrrrr??" imitating me. Yes she wanted to know it in detail, and I better talk about it now.

"Ok listen, its like this ..... hmmmm... Its a hot summer day, you have a half filled bottle of water, which you have stored for the rest of the day in school. One of your classmate comes to you and asks for water, will you give it to her?
She shrugged and said "yeah!!, I still have half of it"
"Very good! but what if its not sufficient for both of you ..."
"If my bottle gets emptied, I will ask my friend Hannah to give me "
"Okey!! but what if even Hannah didn't have enough?"
"Then I will ask someone else who has. "
"What if nobody in the school has to give you?"
"hmmmm... someone will have ... if nobody has then I will go to the canteen and buy juice"
"Now what if you didn't have money to buy it?"
"hmmmm..."
"Ok so you have decided to not share the water at all? "
"No mumma, we both need it... let me think ..." and walks out of the room.
Well! she said she is going to think about it, but actually she kept me thinking at this hour of night.
In an urge to explain her a serious situation between two states and why people were reacting this way, I gave her all possible reasons to say that she should have the water for herself... and to have it she would rather fight. I was also somewhere anticipating she would say my classmate would fight with me and take the water bottle. So that I would be able to explain Cauvery Issue in ease. But she walked out showcasing LET ME THINK, WE HAVE A PROBLEM... THERE SHOULD BE A SOLUTION ... I AM GOING TO HELP THAT GIRL WHO NEEDS AND I AM GOING TO HELP MYSELF TOO.

Its About Being Joanna's Mother

Last Wednesday, was another day of pride for me. Joanna, was participating in 3 events at a class function. She was doing the Bible Reading, was part of the choir and then the class recital event. So for a week, with all her due participation, I had to do a little work too in helping the teacher with some badges, getting her prepared and all the dramatics to put in the perfect show. So this gave me an opportunity to know all her friends in class and dramatically they welcomed me in their group of friends with a a thumb sign, which indicated that I was officially part of their friends gang. Ahem! and I loved it. Then on the D Day, after the school function, one of Joanna's friend took hold of my hand and dragged me to introduce her mom. This is how, we started the conversation, "Hi, I am Joanna's mother" to that she responded, "Oh Joanna! I am Lasiya's mom" And after that we spoke for 15 mins or so about our kids, school with add on laughter and bid each other goodbye, without even asking each others name. While driving back home, this incident took me back to my childhood, when my dad was introducing his three daughters to one of his close friend, for the first time. After the informal intro, he said, "Now people know them as Swamidas's daughters but one day I would want to be known as their father." I remember it so well, because that's what I wanted to grow up to be. I wanted people to know me by my name. I just didn't want to die one day with my name etched on the tombstone and when people read it would remember me as someones wife, daughter sister..etc, but by what I am, what I did and what difference did I make in someone's life. Well my urge to make my mark still exist but for a moment that day, I was so happy to loose my identity and be known by my daughters identity. Exactly the way my father wished for his kids few years ago. Finally am happy loosing my identity, of being the "Sharon Supriya" to being just "Joanna's mother".

When Joanna Celebrates My Birthday, Its Got To Be Special :)

By: Sharon Supriya

For some reason I had absolutely no plans for celebrating this day, which is unlike me but when you have loved ones around you they make all the effort to make you feel special.

While the attention from family and friends was expected, what happened beyond my imagination was when Joanna gifted 8 crafts every single day untill my birthday to decorate my office space.

To walk home in the evening where my child was eagerly waiting with her surprise gift in her hand was a bliss. And then her endless talk about what would I wear, where would we go for dinner, how would we decorate the house..... blah blah... I could see me in her. And whether I wanted it or not, I would get all things together to see her enjoy my birthday.

Now, thats worth being born. Ain't it ?