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How I felt the love

This week, I’m sharing my letter just wrote to Aashiya (age 7) in Delhi.

My Dear dhuwa, Aashiya

I hope you are keeping safe and well.

I was so happy to read your beautiful letter in response to my activities challenge presented to you. You have taken it with much interest and shared your experience.

I too would love to be like a bird, so my story begins like this…

There was a school master coming to our rural village in India. He was staying in a rented house and just outside his window there was me in a birdcage.

One day, a beautiful little girl named Aashiya was passing by me, stopped and started to have a big chat. She calls me 'Salalihini' (bird name) and tells me that I don't know what love is and if I feel it like the majestic ocean I would not be in this cage. So, she was going to tell me a secret but insisted that I don’t tell anyone. Aw, okay.. she trusted me.

Aashiya said she loves her (only) father very much… (Papa Mere Papa)

He helped her do a lot of fun activities her sponsor has suggested. And her favorite being if she was me to travel the whole world, roam over the sea, around the forests, eaten everything.. there would be no tension for studies, and returning to home.

That day, she was sad to see me trapped in a cage, so gently released me out into the free world, said our goodbyes and flew away with immense joy. I don't even have words how I felt the love emerging from her heart. That moment was priceless. Our bond is indescribable.

I still come every now and again to see my old home, but so far it has been unoccupied, yet the kind master is never forgetting to leave me food inside the cage each morning before going to teach at the school.

That's how I felt the love once I was a bird... wish you be inspired!

Lots of love,

Chelaka

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