Rafifa, a seven year old little girl with dark brown hair covering her forehead and back hair curled inside was a lively girl and my best childhood friend. Where was she now? If I search her name on google, nothing comes up as concrete. What happened to her? I lost ties with her years and years back.
Back in grade 1 when I first met her, I knew she was a good girl with two elder sisters and a brother. She toiled hard in her studies and was always under the pressure of her elder siblings. I was also under pressure from my parents and worked hard in class.
To the surprise of both my parents I came out on top of the class both in grade 1 and grade 2 while Rafifa’s position was next to mine in both the grades.
Life was fun in recess time in between classes. We got to share Tiffin and chit chat.
When we were back to class, there were strict rules and discipline. We were not allowed to talk but do our class work by our own merits. Teachers punished students who talked or broke rules by slapping a ruler on the palms of the hands or sending to time-out corner of the classroom. I dreaded the rules and strict discipline. I tried my best to follow them. But sometimes I forgot to bring a copybook or book or was late to class because of unfavorable circumstances which was why I also got moderate punishments.
But I soon won the hearts of the teachers by my hard and sincere work in class and at home and by my quiet nature, trying my best to follow everything in class which impressed the teachers.
Now Rafifa, my best friend was similar to me. No wonder she was my good buddy because while she got help with her studies from her elder sisters, I got help from my parents. Besides Rafifa was a good soul and pure by nature. That is why I liked her so much.
Where on earth was Rafifa now? She was my age. She would be in her forties now with a happy family if she were alive. Or did she already depart from the face of this earth? I do hope with all my heart that the latter is not true. I should have got something about her on google but I did not. Mystery remains. In this fast paced life everybody in the villages also have cell phones connected to internet. Who doesn’t have Facebook or other social media accounts. But I see none of those information regarding Rafifa over the web.
I would rather like to say a prayer for Rafifa. It goes like this:
“Rafifa, wherever you are I would like to meet you. I would like to see how fully blown you have become. I would like to talk with you and listen to all the stories you have collected so far in your life. I hope you are happy and are in great health now. I love you still just as much I loved you during my childhood as my best buddy. Rafifa, I can tell we will meet and I am in anticipation of that golden day. May God help us come across each other in the crossroads of life.”