Balanced Life

      Sanika woke up at three o'clock. Turning off the alarm, she picked up the mat. She sat down to work at four o'clock. It was a small house with two small rooms. One Room Kitchen. Coming into the courtyard at four o'clock, she sat on the bed and opened the file. She turned on the table lamp and in its dim light she took out some points from the file and wrote in her diary.

          Sanika had completed her graduation. A few months ago, she got a small job in a company. It was really difficult to manage a house on a salary of just six thousand a month. Her mother, who has poor health, and her two younger siblings were living on her own salary. All three of them were raised by their mother without a father. Sanika was very hardworking. Seeing that her mother was not well, she took care of both the home and the office.

           After a while, the sound of the six o'clock alarm came. She closed the file immediately. She came home with the file on her bed. She woke up both siblings and started preparing breakfast. She also made ten or twenty chapatis. She woke up her mother by doing all the work of feeding the two siblings and preparing them for school. She told her mother that she had prepared breakfast and reminded her to take medicine. Filling the file neatly in the sack, she said goodbye to her mother and left her siblings at school, and came to the office.

          She wanted to give a very important presentation in the office today. Of course, no one in the house had any idea. It was not in her nature to let her mother suffer. She quickly revised the points written in her diary in ten minutes and gave a great presentation. She was much appreciated in the office. She and her colleagues were sitting together at lunchtime.

"Hey Sanika, we want a party now."

"Yes. Now you will be promoted."

"No guys. Sorry, But I won't be able to party." Sanika said.

"What, Sanika? You didn't give us a birthday party last time and now also you're not giving us a party."

"Why do you always avoid us?"

"I know you've been appreciated. So why be so proud?"

"Just pretending to be friends."

             Everyone was complaining to Sanika about not giving a party. Their team leader was watching from a distance. Sanika's patience had run out after listening for a long time.

"Shut up everyone," Sanika shouted.

"I've been listening since then. Do you compliment me at the party? Why do you think I'm proud and rude ?" Sanika was shouting.

Suddenly there were tears in her eyes.

"I only have a salary of Rs 6,000. Should I meet the needs of my mother and siblings or should I give it to you? Even if you say I am not your friend, it will work. But don't keep talking nonsense about me." Sanika replied while crying.

The team leader who had been quiet for so long came forward. Seeing him, everyone packed up and started walking to their desks. He asked Sanika to come out.

"Sanika, what happened? Do you have any problems at home?" Vikrant.

"No, no problem, sir."

"Sanika, you have been constantly irritated for the last few days. You seem to be constantly worried. If there is any problem, please tell me. I will definitely help you not as a team leader but as your best friend. Now tell me what happened?" Vikrant.

"Nothing, sir. My mother's health has deteriorated a bit. So I had a little bit of tension to balance work at home and office. The amount of Rs 6,000 is too small for others but too big for me. I was not saying I would not give a party. But now I can't afford it." Sanika replied.

           Sanika left with a faint smile. Another team leader like Vikrant, who was standing at a distance, came there.

"What, Vikrant? What party were you asking from her?"

"No, I wasn't asking for any party. I was just looking at a hardworking girl. I saw a fighter in Sanika who is trying to balance both home and office on a very low salary." Vikrant.

They both went inside.

And Sanika ...

She was out of the office on time. To live life as usual with balance at home and office life.