84. The Vacation Experience

When her two children insisted on going to some place for the summer vacation, Selvi decided to visit their brothers at Chennai.

Selvi was a darling of both of her brothers, right from her childhood days. After her father died at a young age, the brothers became even more attached to Selvi.

After completing their education, her brothers got jobs in Chennai. After finding a suitable groom for Selvi and performing her marriage, they also got married and settled down at Chennai. 

After the siblings got married and begot children, the intimacy between Selvi and her brothers began to wane gradually. After their mother's death, the distance seemed to have increased even more. However, both of her brothers were calling up Sevi over phone at frequent intervals and talking to her, keeping their relationship alive.

When her brothers talked to Selvi over phone, their wives would also join the conversation. They would invite Selvi to come to heir place, with her husband and children, and stay with them for a few days.

'The time has come to accept their invitation and stay with them for a few days' decided Selvi.

Of her two brothers, Kumar was better placed financially. Selvi went to Kumar's house first.

Since both Kumar and his wife Radhika were employed, they employed a woman by name Gomathy, for cooking and for looking after their son Varun.

When Selvi arrived at Kumar's house with her two children, Kumar and Radhika welcomed them and greeted them. 

Radhika told Selvi, "Whatever you need, ask Gomathy. She will take care of your needs" and then went into her room.

Gomathy took good care of Selvi and her children.

Selvi expected that Kumar and Radhika would converse with her, after they came home from work in the evening. But after coming home in the evening, both of them just smiled at Selvi and went into their bedroom. 

They came out for dinner, but even during that time, they didn't try to pick up any conversation with Selvi or her children. They didn't even ask Selvi, whether she and her children had had dinner. Perhaps, they assumed that Gomathy would have taken care of them!

It was Gomathy who showed them their bedroom. The bedroom was comfortable, with cosy beds, air-conditioner etc. Gomathy demonstrated to Selvi how to use the remote control of the air-conditioner.

Before going to bed, both of her children told Selvi, "Mom! We are getting bored here. Varun is always inside his room. He doesn't come out. He doesn't talk to us or play with us."

The next morning, Selvi told Kumar that she would be leaving for Suresh's house that evening.

"Why, are the children getting bored here? They will feel the same way at Suresh's house also!" said Kumar, smiling.

"We thought you would stay here for a few days" said Radhika.

But, neither of them insisted that Selvi and her children stay with them for a few more days.

Selvi rang up to Suresh. He told her that he would come to Kumar's house that evening and take them to his house.

That evening, Selvi and her children went to Suresh's house with him. When they reached Suresh's house, Suresh's wife Priya and their daughter Preethi were at home to welcome them.

"Hi Priya, You didn't go to the office today!" asked Selvi.

"I came home early, taking permission from my boss, since I wanted to be at home when you and your children were coming here" said Priya.

The next two weeks flew very fast. Every day, there was chat, fun and enjoyment. Every day, Priya spoke to Selvi over phone for a few minutes. During the two weeks, on a few days, both Suresh and Priya took permission to come home early, so as to spend time with Selvi and her children. 

Preethi, after returning from the school, used to stay with their neighbours till Priya or Suresh came home from office. During these two weeks, Preethi didn't have to do so. She rejoiced coming home straight from school and spending time with her aunt and cousins. She told Selvi, "Auntie! Why don't you all be here always? I will feel very happy!"  

During the two weekends, Suresh and Priya took Selvi and her children to several places of interest.

The time for Selvi to return home arrived.

"Your children have two months' vacation. You could have planned to stay here at least for one month" said Priya. She then told the children, "You should come here for every vacation!"

"You should come to our place for the next vacation" Selvi told Priya.

"Definitely!" assured Priya.

"You and Kumar are the only relatives I have. Though Kumar and I live in the same city, we seldom see each other. Apart from a few relatives of Priya who visit us occasionally, we don't have anyone visiting us. Priya has been having a grievance that none of my relatives visit us. I hope her grievance would have been now redressed by your visit" said Suresh, smiling at Priya.

"If you visit us often, I won't have that grievance" said Priya, looking at Selvi and her children.

"Priya! I am not a well-to-do person like Kumar. But we will feel happy, only if our relatives visit us now and then. Don't have any misgivings that if you come and stay with us for some days, it will inconvenience us. As Priya said, you should come here during all the vacations. Next time, please bring your husband along!" said Suresh.
 

Observing that Priya endorsed Suresh's invitation by smiling and nodding her head in agreement, Selvi thought, ' When Suresh has a wife like Priya who is the embodiment of Mahalakshmi*, what could he have a lack of?' thought Selvi.

* Mahalaksmi is the Hindu Goddess of wealth.

Thirukkural
Section 1
The Path of Virtue

Chapter 9
Hospitality

Verse 84 (In Tamil)

aganamarndhu seyyAL uRaiyum muganamarndhu
nal virundhu OmbuvAn il.

Meaning:

The Goddess of wealth will reside happily with someone

who attends to his guests with a smile on the face.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'vidumuRai anubhavam' by the same author)

Verse 86 (Soon)
Verse 84