I won Second Place

Originally Posted by JayaJ

Hello,

A very touching story. I am still young but i could relate to it as this is what i tell my husband too - that i hope i go first.

Emotionally i am very dependent on him and love him to bits. Emotionally he is v strong. So, i always pray that i go first as i know i cannot manage without him but he can manage without me.

Anyways, morose thoughts. lets enjoy life while we still can!

Good story and had me interested till i reached the end.

Thank you,

JJ

Dear JayaJ
looks like we both have something in common.. myhusband has pampered me like a baby and my husband is all I know and have today.. Hope God is kind with me in my only request to him..
Like you say morose thoughts.. so lets enjoy life ... :)

Hello AC ma'am..wondering where are you are concieving the gist of stories..very interesting..Keep up your good work..

Originally Posted by Chitvish

Dear AC,
You took me for a ride!
I thought you had wone some prize in a competition & rushed to the post. But a sweet surprise!! A lovely narration with an authentic touch.
You are comparable with the cream of IL writers! I am so happy.
Love,
Chithra.

Dear Chithra
My apologies for misleading you.. Believe it or not I had thought of the title as Sivakami but son was irritating me as I was writing and lost my train of thought..
Thank you for your kind words.. :)
I know I could not have done it without the other readers here who read and encourage me with their kindness.. Thank you :)

Originally Posted by Geetha Iyer

Dear anandchitra madam,

A very touching story. In Tamilnadu ladies always wish to die as sumangali. "Poovum pottoda pokanum" is their wish. But, I have come across many widows like Sivakami who after their husband's death have supported their children heroically and brought them up into good positions in life. In Maharashtra there is an award given to such ladies called 'Adarsh Matha' award. I am sure Sivakami will win such an award even though she might have come second. Eagarly awaiting more such stories from you.

Regards,

Geetha Iyer

Dear Geetha
I was not aware of such an award.. Adarsh Matha.. many many women in our lives deserve such an award!
It is a miracle of life how God gives strength and helps us through the times.. I am sure not possible but for God's support!

Originally Posted by sathya

hello chithra

a story with a message
of a woman
who at first had the heart
of a flower
with the parting
of a loved one
she became steel
to guide her daughters by...
life's ups and downs...
nee ezhuthuvaay enru theriyum
ippa thaan
theriyum
kathayum
viduvaay enru...

sathya

anbu sathya
un varthai jaalam than enne
un madhiri nanbi en pakkam
irundhal kadhai enna
kottai kuda eyupaven
un ponra anbu nanbargal
than en ponru eyuthuvarju
eyuthu kol agee ninru
nanri en manamarndha nanri:)

Dear AC,
Well Narrated.I loved this touching piece from you.Its very true that woman can survive and tackle all issues, but a widowed man will suffer a lot.Have lot of examples in my family.
Great going!!

Dear AC,

That was a wonderful story....u know what happenned to shivakami happenned to my aunt...uncle (fathers bro) passed away just like the way u narrated and aunt was totally dependant on him.....my parents have been a good support to her....luckily both their kids are happily married ....i was totally reminded about them....nice one....

Mindi

Dear AC,
You really stumped me......as your title lead me on to think you came in second in something or the other.....but then I thought ...it can never ever be so ...because AC is always a winner and she has to be in first place! And so you are my dear with this heart rending story which sets us all thinking as someone said " morose thoughts", nevertheless we have to dwell on such morose facts of life and also gear ourselves up to face any eventuality,by being mentaly brave.
As many have voiced their wish to be in the first place ,being afraid to face things alone many others have quoted examples of the woman being the more resilient of the two and is hence able to handle any crisis with great fortitude.Personally if one has to be unselfish I would choose to be second ,but my only prayer would be not to linger on here too long and let me get the rest of my work done fast enough to depart to those greener pastures of life everlasting and rejoin my better half as fast as possible.

Lovely story ....good to read on these down to earth subjects and come to conclusions.Thanks again AC.

warm regards
PAULINA

Dear AC
What can I say? It has been more than a couple of hours and I am still thinking of the story of Sivakami. She may have won the second place but she has established that she is second to none. Thanks to all the stories of yore, a general feeling is prevalent among womenfolk that to die ahead of the husband earns them a place in Heaven. According to them 'Sumangali' is considered such a honourable position that it is worth dying for (ahead of the husband). The fact is that we continue to make it difficult for widows by excluding them in all auspicious functions of the family but I am happy to note that the situation has vastly changed now. In my own life time I have observed a sea change in people's attitude towards widows. My own mum has been a widow for 34 years and she is 95 now. Nothing happens in my family without her presence and blessings.

In wishing to get the first place, Sivakami's thinking may have been conditioned by the respect shown to women who die ahead of their husbands. But by outliving her husband Sivakami has strongly anchored the lives of her two daughters. I think Sivakami has done more to make her husband's soul rest in peace by outliving him than dying ahead of him.

A truly great story!
Sri

Originally Posted by saraswathipv

Hi AC,

A very moving story.....

for your style of narration...kept me hooked till the end..

Usually a women is made strong when she faces the toughest situation.....

Regarding parents, in my case, it was my appa who was strong after my mom's death..I was in final yr of my post graduation and my brother just into college...
and my akka had delivered a baby few months before.

Though he was completely shattered at the unexpected passing away of mom, he remained strong for us and saw to it that we too remain brave in that situation.

It must have been mentally too tough for him..but he never wanted to show us that..

I am not sure, if my mom could have handled it as he did.......

Thanks for the story...
bye

Dear Saraswathi
am sorry to hear that your mother passed away when you were young..
kudos to your father in raising you so well..
I agree with you that some men are endowed to help raise children and see them through..
Thanks more to you for your touching reply!