Unconditional

The last week has been a hectic one – with family events and commitments taking precedence. First up was the younger one’s birthday party (which these days require weeks of meticulous planning!).Thankful to have survived the party, managing a group of  boisterous 8 year olds, I then began preparations for the next big event – a classical dance performance for storytelling week in my son’s school. After months of practise and rehearsals with 2 other moms, and last minute shopping for accessories, the D-day finally arrived – with a painful, swollen and sprained shoulder.

Opting out on the D-day was out of the question and as they say, ‘the show must go on’. And so it did- smoothly, without any hiccups. In fact, a whole bunch of mothers came together to put up different shows, some taking time out from work to rehearse, another  in spite of a hamstring injury, came to be a part of the show. Not for any gain or fame- purely for their children’s sake.

It’s the unconditional love for a child or a partner that pushes us out of our comfort zones; bear discomfort or make time for seemingly insignificant things. While doing things unconditionally for a loved one comes naturally to most of us, there are very few who do so for others, and fewer who even risk their lives unconditionally.

Yesterday, our country paid tribute to the martyrs and victims of the 26/11 tragedy on its 4^th anniversary. Some have become symbols of bravery and sacrifice. Mumbai’s Hemant Karkare, chief of the Anti-terrorist squad, his colleagues, Vijay Kamte and Ashok Salaskar  who went down fighting  in a narrow lane just yards away from the office of the crime branch. Bangalore’s Sandeep Unnikrishnan , Major in the National security guards,  put his life on the line at the young age of 31 . Taking on the terrorists at the Taj Hotel on that fateful day, his last words to his men were, “Do not come up, I will handle them.” And there are others like him, many unsung heroes, who regardless of their own safety, lay down their lives, unconditionally, to keep our country and the citizens safe.

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Frizz Text’s Story Challenge: Letter U