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The River near my Hut

Darshan is a Punjabi word which means "viewing" or "meeting". I woke up earlier than usual on darshan day. The time must have been a little after midnight. Something seemed different that day. With difficulty I lifted my head and peeped out of the small window of my hut. Although I could not see anything due to the pitch darkness of the night, I sensed some activity in the trees. I closed my eyes and listened. To my surprise I sensed the trees were in the same jovial mood as they were when spring was approaching. Winter had just started; it would be months before even the slightest hint of spring. I lay down my head back on the pillow and realized that I too was in a jovial mood - my heart too hinted some hope and excitement. That was quite a change from the past few years of my miserable and painful existence.

It had been almost twenty years ago that I had been diagnosed with an incurable form of leprosy. This had been the first such case in the memorable history of my village and the people did not know what to do with me. I had been quite a cheerful and promising young boy before the village doctor noticed the state of the perpetually open wounds on my back. After he announced my disease, my life changed drastically. Continued...