Am married to Shilpa for 35 years. When I look back, I feel that it was only yesterday she came into his family. Shilpa came from a very big family and very quickly adjusted to her new surrounding. My parents loved her for her deeply religious endowment and knowledge of carnatic music. My dream of living in a nice way and keeping my parents well was short lived when they left me few years after our marriage. I was very badly affected and Shilpa stood by my side all along. She has always reminded me of my mother in the way she used to handle emotional and difficult situation in a practical way. I always admired her for the respect she used to show to my parents. With a good job our life moved on well but God did not bless us with a child even after 6 years of marriage. Unlike me, Shilpa had immense faith of God and never broke once. It seems only yesterday when she gave me the good news of my life and I was so thrilled. I had always wanted a girl child and she would tease me by saying it should be boy as she does not want it to suffer like her. God blessed us with a beautiful baby girl and I told her look she is my little girl .It was like happiness has decided to stay with us and we named her Harsha. My office routine changed. Now I used to come home early and spent time with Harsha whilst Shilpa got time to do daily chores. Harsha was naughty from day one and has been a very difficult child to manage. We were worried when she did not walk even after a year but we never knew that God has different plans. She walked in her 13th month and made up for time she lost. I remember the day when she said amma and Shilpa teased me saying that your girl has not called appa first. I was dejected but managed to teach her to say appa. Even though I could take care of Harsha well, in the night she needs only Shilpa. I also could never bring myself up in cleaning her whenever she made her nappy wet. I always admired Shilpa could do it like she was always doing it. Now came the time to send my baby to pre school and I remember the first day when we took her there and it was only 1 hour stay for her in class. After appointed time we noted that all children’s are coming out and no trace of her. I went running to the class to see that Harsha is in the arms of her teacher and crying for us. Seeing me she gave a big smile and literally jumped towards me. I remember the nights I spent carrying her on my shoulder and telling her bed time stories. I still remember the day I saw her progress report in Pre-KG and wondered that she has learnt so much about speech, recognition of colors, in so little time. My little girl was learning fast. Few years rolled by and now my little girl is in Std.2.She has done very well and my daily routine is to sit and listen to her. My job took me to a different place and she joined a new school. I was again worried as to how my little girl will settle in the new surrounding. She proved my concern wrong and settled down well. She told me yesterday that she has been made class monitor. I felt I received a promotion. Slowly time passed by and now my little girl is in her 8th std. Stepping into her teen, she grew more independent. However our relations never changed. She cleared her XII school exams in flying colours. She told me that she has stood first in her entire zone. She appeared for engineering entrance exam and got selected. She had to stay far away from our house in a hostel. My love for her did not allow her to stay away from me and I did not accept. Shilpa spoke to me and made me understand that it is not practical for her to stay with me and study engineering. I reluctantly agreed. She promised she would come to see us every month. We went to drop her in the hostel. I felt very heavy while coming back and sobbed like a child and could not sleep the whole of that night. I used to wait to hear her voice every week and eagerly await her arrival every month. Slowly she cleared semester after semester but her visits and calls reduced. I used to dream about my little baby lying next to me and in a futile attempt to touch her and wake up in dream. Shilpa told me that she would be coming home in 6 months after completing her degree and consoled me. We went for her convocation ceremony and to bring her back home. That day I felt that my mother has come back in her form. Then one day Shilpa told me that it is time we start looking for Harsha's marriage and then it dawned on me that I have to do my duty. We got Harsha married to a nice family and now she is in US and has a kid. She came to India only once after marriage and stayed with us only for 2 days. Now am retired and cannot hear properly. Shilpa tells me that Harsha has called and she enquired about me. I tell her that why is that she has to leave me. I keep asking her- Where is my little girl? Shilpa nowadays doesn't argue much and has lost patience to answer me. Life goes on!!