THE GIFT OF MAGI

 THE BROKEN CHAIN

Behind the steep mountains of Kedhra, was the sweet lovely home where Christo lived with his mother Julie. Though there was great poverty, the deep love and sharing between them made them feel comfort and satisfied even in the midst of hunger and thirst. Christo was an excellent student at his academics.  It added a lot of delight to Julie who even went on hunger to save money for Christo. Christo even was well aware of these secret offerings of his beloved mother that he too often sacrificed his deep desires and at times some of his needs also. 

One day Christo was so delight to come to home after his schooling.  Because he was rewarded a golden chain by his professionals for his excellence. He was so joyful to bring it to his mother. It was a precious gift not only in its cost and beauty with charming pearls but also with the context to which he received it. His mother was so happy to see his son at excellence. He never used it, rather he kept it safe and he planned to use it to gift his mother at some other occasion. Bruno was an intimate friend as well as neighbor of Christo. He often visited Christo at his house and had a lot of leisure time. Once Christo delightedly showed his gift to Bruno and in his rush one of the blocks of the chain was broken and lost. Christo could not control his pain and soon burst into tears. His lovely mother soon run to him, hug him and said “you are worth than this minute block for me”.

Days passed. One morning Julie was fetching water to her house. On crossing a river, she was slipped and fell into flowing water. She was only noticed after a long time and so her life was at great risk. She was struggling between life and death for many days. Christo knew that his mother had savings but he was not able to find them anywhere at house. He was wondering what she has done with it. Now the only wealth he possesses is his broken chain. Without a second thought he took out the chain and ran to get it sold. He got a good amount to use for his mother. And he got his mother saved from death.

After coming home their love and bond flourished more. One day Julie called Christo beside and told him that she has a wonderful gift for him. It was a block for his broken chain that she bought with the savings she had in the past few years. Julie asked him to bring his broken chain. But he had it no more with him. Christo realized that his mother used all her saving to buy it. He hugged his mother warmly with his total love and said, “it is my broken chain that saved you for me”. Julie too understood that the chain was sold by him for her treatment at verge of death.

That was the most sweet day of their life where they realized that no gifts or savings go beyond real love.