My parents were married for fifty seven years. My father had been working in the Indian Railways. After my father retired they lived in a small town where my mother’s parents and brothers lived. From October 2015 my father had various health problems and my brother asked them to come and stay with them. Last year in September my father passed away. My mother came to stay with us for two months. My daughter and grandson had been with us the whole of November. My mother enjoyed the company of her great grandson. Except for about two years in the 1980s my parents had always been together. They got married in May 1959. My mother is seventy five. A different life for my mother. We all miss my father, she misses him the most. We, her children and grandchildren would always be with her but something precious would be missing.
This month, on the 2nd she had to go to my brother’s place by flight. The very thought had made her so nervous. This was the first time she was going alone, alone without her husband. She kept saying that she would have to learn to go alone. We had asked for wheelchair assistance at the airport. The flight officials would look after everything. I was feeling very apprehensive as I waved goodbye to her. By the time she reached her destination my mother had lost all here fears. She understood there was nothing to be scared about. She got down from the plane with the others. She had just one shoulder-bag with her. She carried it and asked a co-passenger to help her and the girl carried it for her till the exit. My sister-in-law had come to receive her. My mother was so elevated. She told me now she could go anywhere by herself and she was glad that she had traveled alone and not waited for someone to accompany her. She was confident about herself. I was so glad for her.
“Only when we dream
And dare to take the first step
Do we reach our goals.”
Mukhamani 
Comments are welcome :)