Love is love, only when it is visible

Eight-year old Priya was refusing to eat and her mother was  furious with her. Priya's father took the plate and pleaded with his child to eat a little food atleast, for his sake. When dad spoke, Priya softened, wiped  her tears with the back of her hands and said, 'Ok, dad. I will eat this whole plateful - but you must give me whatever I ask for'.

Ofcourse, sweatheart, dad promised. Once Priya finished eating, she came to her dad. All at home were intently watching what she was going to ask. Dad, I want to shave my head, this weekend, she said. Brushing aside protests from Priyas's mother, her dad said,' We must keep our promise. If we go back on our word, she will never learn to honour her own'. Priya was visibly happy.

On Monday morning, when her dad dropped her at school, it was a treat to watch Priya walk briskly to her class. With her head clean-shaven, Priya had a round-face and her eyes looked big and beautiful. Just then, a boy stepped out from a car and yelled, 'Priya, please wait for me!'. The boy was also bald.

A woman walked up to Priya's dad and said, 'That boy walking along with your daughter is my son Karthik. He is suffering from leukaemia, and lost all his hair due to the side-effects of chemotheraphy. His classmates were teasing him because of it, and Priya had promised him that she will handle it. But, never in the wildest of my dreams did I think  that she would sacrifice her beautiful hair for the sake of Karthik!'

It is not what we feel within, but it is the expression of this feeling that makes a difference in relationships.

Love is love, only when love is visible.

Cheers!