THE UNKNOWN DISASTER...

Spring had scattered the first occasional flowers about the plain , and the last traces of snow were quickly melting beneath the blinding sun. There was hustle – bustle in the president’s office , many poor children stood in queue’s , waiting for their turn to meet the president . The President was providing free education to the children of disadvantaged groups.. when she(president)  just came out into the balcony , standing there and  started thinking of the today’s  day around 23 years ago.It was the same weather like today , years back , when AN UNKNOWN DISASTER struck...

The snow was melting , winter was bid adieu , the days of cherry blossom were over . mother combed  the snow out of the streets , while me and my siblings quietly watched from our one-room hut. Mother earned just 10 yen a day , as a municipality cleaner  . there were five  of us , and would share a simple meal of cabbage soup in one anothers company , and there were days when we would get no supper. I being the eldest , used to go to sell matchboxes and support my mother in running the household. Mother had the whole household responsibilty after father died , that was two years ago . mother told me about our richer days , when we had pancakes for supper. Oh! How i long that those days come back again. I always had the urge to study , and become successful in life , to acheive something in life.” Tanaka , i am going to the office to collect my daily wage” shouted mother , and my siblings also followed her. It was time for me to leave to sell matches.

 In the evening , while coming back home from the sale , i saw a torn book thrown in the  dustbin , i immediately ran and picked it up. A lady saw me do that , she came near me and asked me “ who are you little girl?” , i thought it was her book , she had seen me taking it and would scold me for it , “ sorry ma’am , you can take this book.. i was just learning to read” i closed my eyes hoping that she will shout at me but instead she offered to teach me how to read. She asked me whether we could begin from today ... and i readily agreed . she took me to her house and tutored me for a day. After five hours of teaching i could read a few words and write a few alphabets . the teacher told me to come everyday . i was delighted of this and was waiting to tell  my mother . i soon took leave of the teacher and set homewards , my home was on the opposite side of where i sold matches and also very far away. i was almost halfway home when i saw police jeeps and rescuers going that side... i was puzzled and shocked . i ran and hurriedly reached home , but to my horror i came to know that an earthquake had hit this area , and thousands had lost their lives . my mother and sisters were no where to be seen , in this stampede of people.... the rescuers were taking out the bodies of those who lost their lives and were calling their families.... i still had a ray of hope that mother was alive , then i saw my mother and my sisters lying dead . i was shattered to pieces... and tears rolled through my eyes and i left the place at once , deciding to study hard and help all those like me......

Today i stand here , froma 12 year old girl to a 35 year old president of japan and today i can afford to eat hundreds of pancakes , but not the company in which me and my siblings used to enjoy our frugal together.