A wish

Ways of Almighty are comprehensible to Him only...
On one hand He endows a few with abundance and on another He doesn't bless  the other  few  with meagre...

Festivity of Diwali is round the corner , the fervour ,the zeal ,the energy of the festival has already like a magic wand  cast it's spell on everyone.
The onset of this great festival takes me back to the memory lane ,to the similar illumined days when  my children were not young enough to see beyond their own whimsical world ,a make belief world of theirs when there wasn't much burden of studies or phobea of approaching exams ,when only worry was how many crackers they would get to burst and how many houses they would visit with gifts or how many gifts they would receive. The days when they kept a record of all who graced our home and all those who missed our hospitality.
It was almost seven years back when my  dear son was in fourth and  my darling daughter was in third grade  . As  there were hardly three days left for festival l along with my husband and children went out to shop .Gifts had to be purchased ,then they needed to be packed in beautiful colorful wrappings . We decided to visit Easy Day store first of all ,the favorite destination of my children  who loved to fill the  store trolley with all the fancy items without bothering about the bills.
It took us almost an hour or two there in selecting the items and then desperately waiting in the long queue to settle our bills. Anyhow we stepped out of the store. I was extremely contended with the shopping . Since childhood the pleasure l used to get when the stock of our bakery items was replenished at my parental home ,had stayed intact in my adult heart as well.
My husband who is otherwise a man of simple needs and snubbed any wastage , didn't bother to grumble that day to see so many colorful tit bits that our children had purchased. It was around eight thirty in the evening when we were about to take a U-Turn  towards our home,when my husband offered us a treat of tasty appetising Pakoras prepared by a road side vendor near Bhadrakali temple. My taste buds were tickled  and l could already lick my fingers imagining the taste of tamarind Chutney that the fellow packed with the Pakoras.
Due to a heavy rush on road as most of the people like us had stepped out of their routine,dull and drab life to be ready for the approaching festival , my husband parked the car on the opposite side and went alone to purchase the delicacy.
While my son was enjoying the crackers which were usually busted a few days prior to  Diwali ,my daughter was fiddling with the remote of car's deck switching from one song to another of her choice. I was elated to behold both of them and wished all the luxuries from Great God for them.
All of a sudden my eyes fell on a little girl who walked passed our car holding her poor mother's hand. Her long loose uncombed hair ,her frilly tattered frock above her knees, her worn out slippers and her constant stare towards sky ,glitter in her eyes to see the crackers and her slim weak burdened mother with a lifeless face  in a faded saree grabbed my whole attention . Meanwhile
The mother like a strong surge took hold of her slender girl and crossed the road with a heavy traffic and entered a grocer's shop opposite our car.
While mother was apparently with morose eyes buying whatever little she could, the  little poor angel kept on eyeing voraciously towards the sky towards the crackers which were beyond her reach. Her condition made me abhor myself for being proud of abundance  which l had relished a few moments back .I thought of all the half consumed packages of biscuits and mixture my children refused to look at ones discarded.
I had there and then a strong urge to do something that would please the girl.l had only fifty rupees in back cover of my phone ,l cursed myself for not carrying my purse. But then it was my habit like any other wife not to carry money when husband is there to spend. Hurriedly l pulled out a few packets of fancy things my children had carefully selected at the Easy day store much to their wonder and annoyance. Quickly l dragged their attention towards that girl,the thought of sharing their things with a deprived child lifted their spirits.
I was ready with the things to hand them over to the little girl as l was expecting them to return from the same way. But to my dismay the duo mother and daughter started walking on the other side. I waved towards them to see me but all in vain. I hadn't the courage to cross the road as the honking and traffic lights terrorised me. I saw my desire as well as their silhouettes fade at a distance.
After fifteen minutes when my husband came sensing my perturbation he demanded the cause ,and being a man of sensitive heart drove towards the  direction where the mystery girl had gone. But we could not trace her anywhere.  Years keep on changing festival of lights comes and goes but the void of not being of any use ,void of being unable to bring smile on that girl's face is still there.  The flame to help her  is still kindled.....