Small Story 754
Life Is Beautiful – 99
A Wonderful Beginning in Denver
After a nine-hour journey, Ram and Vasanthi reached Denver International Airport. After collecting their baggage, they came out of the terminal.
An elegant lady approached them with a warm smile.
“Are you Ram and Vasanthi, if I am right?”
“Yes,” Ram replied.
“I am Suganthi, the President of the programme. Welcome to Denver!”
She warmly welcomed them and accompanied them to her car. Ram and Vasanthi placed their baggage in the car and took their seats.
As they drove away from the airport, Suganthi said happily, “It is a great moment for the Indian diaspora here in Denver to listen to your amazing speech. Everyone is looking forward to hearing you.”
Ram smiled modestly.
“I am not as great as you think. Basically, I am a teacher, and I love sharing what I have learned.”
Suganthi replied, “I heard the recording of your Academy speech, which was given to me by Sophia, my good friend. She strongly recommended your name. Everyone here also feels that you are the right person to address this gathering.”
Vasanthi smiled and said, “Thank you for having such confidence in my husband.”
Suganthi suddenly remembered something.
“I almost forgot to congratulate you both on your recent wedding celebration. It is truly a great blessing from God that, after 27 years, you have been reunited and married.”
Ram smiled and said, “Thank you, Suganthi.”
Suganthi continued, “You both will be staying at my house. We have a comfortable guest room, and I want you to feel completely at home. I have also arranged Indian cuisine for you.”
After a beautiful 20-minute drive, Suganthi reached her beautiful neighbourhood in Sterling Ranch and arrived at her palatial independent house.
A servant took Ram and Vasanthi’s baggage and placed it in the guest room. The room was luxurious, with all the amenities of a five-star hotel.
Suganthi said, “Please have some fresh orange juice and take a good rest for about three hours. Later, my husband will return from the office, and we can all have lunch together. Our daughter, Poornima, has gone to New Zealand for her holidays.”
Ram and Vasanthi thanked her and went to their room.
After three hours of sound sleep, both Ram and Vasanthi woke up feeling completely fresh. They did not experience any jet lag. The comfortable sleeping seats on the flight had also helped them rest well.
Soon, Suganthi’s husband returned from work and warmly greeted them.
“Hello, I am Arun. It is a very happy moment to have both of you with us.”
They enjoyed a delicious South Indian, Karnataka-style lunch, followed by sweets.
The rest of the day passed peacefully.
The Grand Programme
The next day, at 5 p.m., Ram, Vasanthi, Suganthi, and the others left for the auditorium, where around 400 guests were expected. The auditorium had excellent seating arrangements.
At 5:30 p.m., Suganthi welcomed the gathering and introduced Ram to the audience, briefly explaining his background, experience, and interests.
Ram then began his presentation.
For nearly one and a half hours, he spoke about blogging, creativity, storytelling, and publication, and explained how these fields could play an important role in the future.
The audience listened with great interest. At the end of his presentation, the entire auditorium applauded enthusiastically.
The audience then began asking Ram questions. He patiently answered every question, giving practical and thoughtful explanations.
Ten people expressed their interest in joining his new venture as bloggers and said they wanted to learn more about blogging and storytelling. Ram answered all their questions, and they were fully convinced and inspired by his vision.
After two other speakers delivered their excellent presentations, the formal meeting concluded, and dinner was announced.
At that time, Sophia and her husband, Henry, arrived and warmly congratulated Ram.
“Ram, your speech was wonderful,” Sophia said. “You presented everything so clearly.”
Ram thanked her and all the guests.
A delicious Indian dinner was served, including three varieties of desserts. Many distinguished people from different professions in Denver had attended the gathering.
Induja, a Senior Manager in an investment bank, congratulated Ram.
“Your presentation was brilliant. It was authentic, informative, and inspiring,” she said.
Ram thanked her warmly.
A Memorable Evening
After dinner, everyone returned to Suganthi’s house and gathered in the hall. Sophia and her husband, Henry, also joined them.
Henry told Ram, “It was an amazing meeting, and your speech was excellent.”
Arun also complimented Ram.
“Your knowledge, language, and authenticity were truly impressive. You connected with the audience very naturally.”
After spending some pleasant time together, Sophia and Henry took leave.
Ram and Vasanthi then went to their room.
Vasanthi came close to Ram, hugged him warmly, and said,
“Today has become another great day in our lives, in this new land that we never even dreamed we would visit together.”
Ram smiled.
“True. We should not expect everything in life. Sometimes, the things we never expect come to us when we are blessed.”
Vasanthi smiled and replied,
“True, dear. Looking back at our life experiences, I can only say one thing—Life Is Beautiful.”
They smiled at each other and retired for the night, carrying with them the happiness of another unforgettable day.
To be continued...
K. Ragavan
5-10-26
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