Sometimes, the most cherishable moments in one’s life, come from incidents one would probably not

want to live through twice. I cannot agree more with that as I recall one of the most cherished memories
of my childhood - a winter evening in the wretched year 2001. I was stranded in a village not very far
from the old Bhuj I once called mine with my family. I was standing outside our dingy tent with February
winds taking turn for the worse in absolute darkness. I couldn’t have comprehended the amount of fear
that I had in my heart then. The trauma of the incident was excruciating. I wondered to myself- what if I
had lost every valuable thing that I owned? Suddenly, a hand wrapped itself up around my shoulder and
pulled me closer. It was my father who had finally learned I was not asleep. He didn’t say a word as we
looked at the stars that night. I saw his face and suddenly, I feared nothing in this world. I realized that
the hand that was wrapped around my shoulders was the only reassurance I ever needed in my life. I
found my answer. Everything valuable that I had ever owned was intact!