Small Story 232.

Small Story 232. "Attachment Recognized" After migrating to Australia, Suresh often longed to see his relatives and friends. This year, he decided to visit Chennai and Bengaluru—two cities where most of them lived. However, his booking hadn’t been confirmed yet, and his wife, Suganthi, was worried. Every year, they planned to visit their homeland, but it never happened. More than six years had passed. Their son Rahul and daughter Radhika had gotten married, but none of the relatives in India could attend the ceremonies. The next day, Rahul confirmed their journey—just twelve days away. Suresh was excited. After his retirement, he had been running a creative and advertising company. Having started his career with Lintas, he was a natural at storytelling and branding. Rahul and Radhika were both well-settled, working in the private sector. Radhika lived close by with her husband Prakash, while Rahul and his wife lived with Suresh and Suganthi. Finally, the day of departure arrived. Everyone was eager to reunite with their loved ones in India. But then, Suresh received an unexpected phone call. "Hello, who is on the line?" he asked. "Mr. Suresh, we’re calling from the Tourism and Cultural Ministry. Your documentary film India and Its Values has been selected for a national award. The award ceremony is scheduled for next Monday. A formal invitation will reach you today. Congratulations in advance!" Suresh was stunned. He had never expected such recognition. With mixed emotions, he realized he had to cancel his trip to attend the prestigious event. He called his friend Raj and shared the news. Raj responded joyfully, “Hey, don’t worry—so what if you aren’t coming this year too? We’ll all watch your award ceremony. Your film about India and its values reflects your true attachment to the country—and to all of us.” Raj's words touched Suresh deeply. With emotion in his voice, he murmured, "True... my attachment with India." K.Ragavan 1-5-25