Little Chintoo, woke up early. He slid down from his cot on to his tiny legs. There was no trace of sleep in his eager wide eyes. The moment his chubby feet touched the floor, ''Ma, the floor is so cold; what happened when I was asleep? Did you wash it? Is it just like my skin feels cold after bath''.
Radha, his mother, smiled, listening to her son's start of his day long chatter. She hugged him and said, ''it rained yesterday, after you slept, chintoo baba; thats why the floor is cold.''
''Ma, why does it rain? How does it rain?'', Radha, considering that, Chintoo is too young to be explained the scientific reason behind the rain said ''God sends rains to wash the earth, the trees, which we could not wash, he takes the water from the oceans, invisibly, stores it in his overhead tank which he hides in the clouds and whenever required, he sends rain from a giant shower in the sky.It is so far away in the sky, that we cannot see it''
'' Ma, why dint you wake me when it rained. I would have liked to watch it'', so saying Chintoo, ran to look outside from his balcony. "Ma, look!! All the plants in the balcony have taken bath; the buildings are washed too.God has also washed our car. Everything looks so clean.Ma, why does not God wash everyday; just like you bathe me everyday.''
Radha was surprised by Chintoo's question; she did not know what to say. She said ''Çhintoo, there is no enough water even in the oceans, to wash everything on earth everyday.So, when God feels that earth needs a wash, he sends rains.'' Chintoo did not look satisfied with Radha's answer. ''Ma, why dont we give some water to God from our tap, so that, he would be able to send rains everyday?''Chintoo, water from our tap is also provided by God, he gives preference to little boys like you''.
Chintoo, stood watching from his balcony for a while, and said '' ma, from now on I shall never cry for taking a bath. All the colors, the green trees, the grass, the pavement, the buildings, our car, look brighter, after the rain. I like the frsh smell too; Ma, from now on, my favorite day is not my birthday; it is the day after rain.''
Radha realised the beauty after the rain, after looking through her son's eyes. Sometimes, a little soul stirring is required, to be able to enjoy the little joys of nature, which otherwise, people fail to notice, caught up in the hectic schedules of life. Radha was thankful to her son for that.She also felt proud, that her son is able to appreciate the beauty of nature, instead of being inclined to material things.
