Sacrifice

It had been a delightful dinner,
A hearty meal
topped with some interesting conversations
Leaving one satiated.
After all isn’t that what friends are for?
You spend time with them
To be left with happiness,
lingering like an aftertaste
for many days thereafter.
 
It was time for desserts.
We had just returned back
From the buffet counter with our choice of desserts,
When my cell phone beeped and
attracted my attention.
The message received, left me shocked.
“Friends,” I said addressing the other two.
“Shraman has had a sudden cardiac arrest
And is battling for his life in the hospital.”
Our dear old friend, barely in his forties,
Had been hospitalised and battling for survival
Was news that was difficult to digest.
It left us with a sense of helplessness!
Far away from the hospital,
The three of us
On the spur of the moment decided,
To pray for our friend
In our own special way.
 
So we lit a candle and stuck it on the cup cake
That we had picked up from the buffet counter.
Then we prayed to the Gods-
“Dear God!
For the sake of our friend
This is our offering of the moment.
Let him be blessed with light
Of your kindness”.
 
As we closed our eyes and fervently prayed,
On the spur of the moment
In my mind, I added my own plea-
“Dear God, This cup cake,
My favourite,
I offer to you.
I promise to give away
All sweets henceforth
In return of my friend’s life.
This cupcake and all sweets
Is my sacrifice
In return of the gift that I seek
Of my friend’s life!”

Copyright @ Goutam Dutta