After a long time, I opened up the box of memories that I had stuffed deep in my attic room. While going through the numerous photos, I found one that brought back a flash of memories that had me sobbing for an hour straight!
It was a photo that my father had clicked while my mom and grandfather were trying to gulp a glass of milk down my throat.
It was then that my grandfather told me a story that I use now to force-feed my children their milk!
Back in the day, I wasn’t a fan of milk. But as every other Indian mom, my mom too forced me to have it. And one fine day when I was running around the house trying to escape her many trials of feeding me milk, my grandfather stepped in.
My grandfather had tons of stories in his pocket and one of them happened to be about a glass of milk that he told me that day.
And since I’ve been having milk every day after a point I even started liking it.
Now you are probably wondering what that story was.
Let me narrate!
Back in the day, my grandfather who is the main character of the story, was just like every other Indian kid like in the stories of R.K Narayan.
He had a bunch of friends and they all gathered around every day to play. But there was one particular friend who wasn’t as active as the others. He constantly complained about his legs aching and his bones feeling weak.
One fine day, Grandpa asked his mom why that friend had such problems. And then his mom told him that it was the power of milk that kept the other children healthy but that friend’s family couldn’t afford milk in those days and hence had health issues.
It was then that my grandpa asked if they could help him with a glass of milk every day. And since my family started supplying them with a little milk enough for the boy every day until they could afford it themselves.
You see, what I learned from this was that,
- Milk has calcium that forms healthy bones
- It boosts immunity
- It has nutrients and minerals that promote growth
The most important thing, it had the power to bring together two families. It also taught me how kind and generous my grandfather was, at a tender age and it has become a life lesson that I have imbibed in my life.
To help someone in need, even if it is just a glass of milk, has the power to show humanity that transcends beyond this world’s negativity.
Coming to the time, I heard this story, I was moved! I learned the importance of kindness and also milk.
And since I’ve done two things – have milk and help others in need!
