A Girl Shaped by Stories (Story of Transformation 18)

"Why were you absent for a week?"

"I had gone to monastery."

"But you missed some important classes during these days. Can you cover them?"

"Yes, I will try my best."

''Was there any special program there at monastery?"

"I want to be an aani (Buddhist nun) in future, so I was there to learn some rituals."

Sichu, drawing characters of her stories

Sichu Maharjan proudly revealed her dream in one of my classes. I had recently completed reading "Fulko Aankhama", an autobiography of Aani Chhoying Dolma then. Dolma had a strong desire of being aani just to remain a free and happy life not being dominated by any males and to be free from the torture given by her father. Many children of Chapagaun shared the same story. When Sichu shared her dream, I got frightened thinking if she was going through the same trouble. I instantaneously inquired if everything was going good in her family. She replied with a wide grin in her face.

"Yes, miss everyone is fine and it's all good in my family. Though my mother isn't happy with my decision."

"Why?" I grew more anxious.

"Since my mother likes me putting up makeup but after I become aani, I wouldn't be able to do so." She replied.

"Don't you want to be beautiful?" I asked further. 

"My soul is beautiful." She replied.

Sichu sharing story along with her friends

Then, Sichu started sharing what she was taught in her week long classes and how she should be following all the strict norms now on wards. I interrupted her and asked again, "Would you please share with me, why do you actually want to be a nun?"

"It's just because I can share my stories. I love writing stories and I will get an opportunity to share it when I become an aani."

But people of other profession also can share their stories," I laid another question.

"Miss, not everyone's story gets the respect than those shared by the preachers. Whenever people listen story from aani, they bow after listening to them and will try to follow the suggestions given by them,I haven't seen people doing the same thing when other people share the same story."

Her answer made me ponder deep.

I had been teaching her for ten months and I was going to be with her only for next two months then on wards and I was thinking if I had helped her enough.

On my farewell, she came up with a special gift wrapped in with glittering papers. When I unwrapped it, tears rolled down. I don't know how to express it. 

She had so beautifully made a story book and written all the stories that I had taught her along with some written by herself. She had mentioned how she loved my storytelling sessions that she started loving to write and share stories. It's because of those stories she has the aim of being an 'aani' .

Terry Pratchet rightly says, "People think that stories are shaped by people. In fact, it's the other way around..." I had never thought someone would love stories so much that they would like to devote their life just to share them.