Born on the 23rd of July
In an Indian city under the sky,
As the last one to arrive,
Bringing her family joy and pride.
Carefree as a child,
With not a worry on the mind,
For company turned to dreams and stories,
In the make believe world of Aesop’s fables.
From one city to another, family moved,
As childhood gave way to teenagehood.
Schooling was in a convent’s embrace,
With nuns and mothers guiding the ways.
With friends so dear and always true,
Bonds of friendship only grew.
Adding warmth to beauty and charm,
A humane person would gently form.
Higher studies called upon to see,
If humanities would suit the mind’s decree.
Math and science brought no delight,
But languages and arts took brilliant flight.
A graduate with a Bachelor of Arts,
Immersed in books of all sorts.
Journalism became the next pursuit,
A master’s diploma now her suit.
In the midst of study and reflection,
A distraction loomed with a new connection.
Life’s headaches would soon begin,
From a companion through thick and thin.
After much strife and family dissent,
Marriage arrived with tacit consent.
A bride soon tested with loss so strong,
Navigating life with mom now gone.
The family vessel set to sail,
Through gentle winds and mighty gales.
Love and care defined the way,
Even as grief refused to fade.
Books became an escape so sweet,
From foreign lands and unfamiliar street.
A new arrival brought fresh delight,
As life moved forward in steady flight.
Through duty’s weight and love’s demand,
Bearing burdens with a steady hand.
A move to Canada, a brand new start,
In a land so kind and warm of heart.
While raising children with love untold,
Another chapter would soon unfold.
Midnight oil at forty burned,
Another master’s degree proudly earned.
The finest hour then arrived,
A career where she greatly thrived.
Refugees seeking a safer shore,
Found her kindness so much more.
Migrant faces joined, her family grew,
A loving home for all they knew.
Giving freely, answering calls,
Supporting lives both great and small.
Missing a beat or two with every loss,
Of loved ones gone yet never lost.
Still standing strong, despite the pain,
Giving and guiding, time and again.
A life of giving, long and true,
So much offered, much to do.
Labors of love without refrain,
A heart so full, without a stain.
A life to cherish, proud and bright,
A steady flame, a guiding light.
Not only with family’s love embraced,
But by the one who keeps the trace.
Seventy years, a journey so grand,
With kindness dealt by steady hand.
If immortality is love’s refrain,
It is assured, again and again.
Now the road ahead is clear,
A compass guiding, ever near.
A light that shines through every gloom,
A flower that through darkness blooms.
Wishing now the best of health,
Peace of mind, and all debts dealt.
Fables with tales of happiness galore,
And finally heaven, what could be more?
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Note:
To a Companion: A Life Well Lived and Still Living” was originally published in Echoes of Silence by Dr. Raj Velamoor and is republished here with the author’s permission.
In this poem, Dr. Velamoor remembers Suhasini Varadaraj Velamoor — his companion — reflecting on a journey shaped by love, shared memories, quiet strength, and an enduring bond that continues beyond physical presence.
