Love at First Sight
The first
diary that I opened was the love diary of Princess Sita. On the
inside cover was a drawing of Sita with her beloved husband Rama and
their two sons, Lava and Kush.
They looked like a blissfully happy
family. As I began to read her diary, I couldn't put it
down. I
turned page after page, realizing that Sita was a strong, admirable
woman who had experienced an amazing love that was tested in many
ways. The first page I read brought me to tears. It was the
most
beautiful story of love at first sight I have ever heard.
Dear Diary,
Today
was the best day of my life! As I was sitting outside on my balcony
enjoying the fresh air and talking to my attendants, the most
remarkable
man passed under me. He was dressed in royal blue with gold
accents on
his waist and wrists. He was followed by two men who were
probably his
guards. By looking at his body, I doubt he would need guards
though.
Just before he passed by, he looked up at me. Our eyes met for an
instant, and it was love at first-sight. It was undeniable.
I
could tell he was in a rush to get somewhere, though, because he didn't
stop to ask my name. As soon as he was gone, I felt ill.
How would I
find this man who had pierced my heart with one glance? Would I
ever
see him again? So many worries ran through my head. I got light
headed
and rushed to my bed. My attendants were worried. They
tried to calm
me down with hot tea, a back massage, and even by singing, but nothing
worked. Finally in desperation they sent for my father, King Janaka,
to check on me. However, they did not return with my father, but
instead insisted that I come with them to his throne.
I
declined, saying I felt far too ill to walk about, but when they told
me
that a prince had finally bent the bow that Shiva had given to my
father, I instantly felt alive again. This feat was extraordinary
because no man had been able to bend it in years. This was significant
to me because my father had declared that the first man to bend Shiva's
bow would be worthy to receive my hand in marriage! I was so
nervous
and excited at the same time walking to my father that I almost threw
up. The man who finally bent the bow MUST have been my love! It
had to
be! But what if it wasn't? Would I be forced to forget about that man
who had passed under my balcony and pretend to love another man the
rest of
my life?
All of these questions raced through my mind as I
approached my father. I remember his exact words: "Princess Sita, today
is a bittersweet day to me. I do not want to let my beautiful
daughter
go, but I'm proud to say I have finally found the best suitor for
you.
His name is Prince Rama of Ayodhya."
Just
then in walked the man who had stolen my heart earlier that day.
"Sita, I present to you your husband, Prince Rama." I was
breathless.
The gods had found favor with me today! As we saw each other for the
second time, I knew this man would be able to make me happy for the
rest of my life.
We spent the most beautiful night together in my palace. He told me of
his adventures conquering demons with his loyal brother Lakshmana on
their trek to Mithila
where he found me. He is an amazing man, strong, smart, and
passionate. No day with him will be boring. I am such a lucky
woman!
Yours Truly,
Sita
Don't we all wish we could have such an amazing love at first sight
experience as Sita? Retelling her story almost made me cry again;
it's so beautiful. We are all envious of her right now, but by
the end of her diary entries we may not be so envious. As you
will read in my next stories, Sita's life is not always this
perfect love story. This amazing love that she found is
tested numerous times. Let's move on to Sita's next story to get
a
better understanding.
Author's Note: My hope is that as you read through Sita's
deepest thoughts you were able to feel the excitement, passion, and
love she felt. When I read this story in Narayan's
The Ramayana I loved it. It was the first love story in the book
and
after reading about all of the battles Rama had experienced it was a
nice change of pace. I enjoyed reading it so much that I chose to
develop my storybook around it. I loved the image of Sita
watching
Rama walk toward her from her balcony and their eyes meeting and
passion racing through them. It's exactly what all women dream of
experiencing.
Approaching Sita's
story in the form of a diary allowed me to really develop her
emotions. I was able to express thoughts that she had that
wouldn't
have been possible without using a diary format. I also chose to
use a
diary frame tale because, from my experience, they have been the most
entertaining storybooks to read. I think it is the thought that
you
are prying into some one's personal space, trespassing where no one is
to go that makes them engaging.
Bibliography:
Buck, William. Ramayana.
University of California Press. 1976.
Narayan, R.K. The
Ramayana A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epics.
Penguin Group, 1972.
Image Information: The
Marriage of Rama and Sita. Weblink.