Maryam Amma(My experience)

G.P Girl’s was the hostel provided by the college of Jamia Milia Islamia. The hostel was maintained by hostel authorities and guards. Whether it was a hot summer or extremely cold winters, the guards performed their duties sincerely. On out corridors there were few ladies sweeper who cleaned our rooms regularly. Whenever they were with their friends company, they would laugh and talk loudly but when any lady sweeper sits alone at her favorite corner, she would light up her cigarettes and start smoking. That moment one could make out from their tensed facial expression that they are hiding some painful secret. Not only those hostel sweepers but also those guards have painful hidden story which is generally left unnoticed. I had come across a lady guard, Maryam Amma, who did all her duties sincerely bearing up various burdens of life.

It was my first night in hostel, I noticed a tired old lady approximately sixty years old, with her approximately nine year old boy. I was shocked to know that old lady was our hostel guard. I asked my roommate, “Who’s that boy and how they both are related to each other.” Her reply was, “That boy is an orphan grandson of Maryam amma. Her son and daughter died long time ago so she is the only guardian of the kid.”

Often Maryam amma asked me for a match stick to light a candle for her grandson because her unsecured kid was scared of darkness. Every night Maryam amma would sit next to her grandson and the nervous boy would hold her hands until he closes his eyes to a soundless sleep. The hostel girls were sympathetic towards the child and never refused to help him with his studies. For him, his grandma was everything who showers her grandson with his parents love. But he was unaware of the fact that his Grandma was also nervous because she was alone bearing up all his responsibility at this old age when she needed comfort from her children. In her prayers she would only ask for q bright future for her grandson.

This incident touched me so much that I realized that before complaining to others about our problems we should look at these people. Everywhere there is struggle but Maryam Amma was a good example, because despite having so many problems she was trying her level best to lead a normal life. Sweepers and guards also hid their personal problems behind their comforting smiles. One should live in present, forget about past but be prepared of future.