The New Year Resolution: A Miracle Unfolds (1350 words)

                             What the New Year brings will depend a great deal on                                                                        what you bring to the New Year.”

Veda and Rangan finished their dinner early. Their son and daughter were away at a New Year party at their cousin’s place in the adjacent complex. The couple was on the TV watching some programme that failed to grab their attention.

Rangan asked "Veda, have you thought of any New Year resolution? I know you will laugh when I say I have three ready for me. Maybe I have failed in the past to adhere to them but this year it would be different.”

“Hà ha, you and your resolutions!! The ones you resolve over booze, you forget the next day. Never mind, tell me what they are for the coming year. At least they reveal your intentions," Veda said with a giggle.

 “Mark this time. I am dead serious and do not intend to give up for they are important to me. I will tell you on the condition you will tell me yours."

"Ok, I am all ears.”

"Here they go. First, I wish to go with you on a long holiday that may include a Caribbean cruise and for this, I will be careful with the money and not splurge."

“This seems like two resolutions in one. Never mind. Very ambitious, what next?" she prodded"

“The second one would be to reduce drastically eating out and have healthy food made by you at home."

"Mmm, what is the last one?”

"The last is not to lose my temper as frequently as I do now and be a little more demonstrative in my love for you," he concluded."

“Funny, your resolutions are as impossible for you as weeding out corruption in our country,” Veda said with loud laughter.

“Can you be more specific than your usual vague ramblings?" he shouted.

"I mean, you are broke and poorer than a church mouse except for the paltry pittance you get each month as salary after all the deductions towards the various loans. Where is the money for a holiday even to nearby Pondicherry when we are finding it hard to make both ends meet? What Caribbean, are you daydreaming about? As regards the second portion of your first resolution, you are already a miser. What splurge are you talking about? When did you buy for me anything worthwhile for me to show my people with pride? When did we eat out really except for the pani puri on the roadside shops and alu tikias in the market? We have never gone for ages to a good Chinese, Mexican or Italian restaurant? All you take us to are the cheap joints with dirty cutlery and dirtier China with waiters in rags," Veda said contemptuously.

 "You filthy and ungrateful woman, don’t forget your roots. You were raised in a chawl and born in a poor family going to free municipal schools. Despite my parents' reluctance, I married you because I liked your face. I have given you everything that you would have never dreamt of. What cheek you have to call me a church mouse or a miser, you brat?" Rangan shouted.

"You have proved right now that you cannot control your mind or tongue and have already failed in your third resolution. I never expected any love from you, let alone the demonstrative part. I am a drudge in this house toiling out of a sense of duty,” Veda said and went away sobbing to the bedroom.

He switched off the TV, drank a glass of water and reclined on the sofa with closed eyes for a while before following her.

"Veda, sorry, I lost my wretched temper. I didn't mean to hurt you. I promise I will try my utmost to control myself, my dear. Please excuse me” he cringed.

 “It is ok. This is nothing new to me. Shall I make a cup of hot chocolate for you?" she asked.

"No, no. Please tell me what your resolutions are. I assure you that I would not make fun of you," he pleaded.

"My resolutions are more like prayers than any effort by me. I will pray daily for landing on a treasure trove that will fetch us enough money to send our bright children to Engineering or Medicine courses. The second one will be to curb my desires and expectations in day-to-day life. Thirdly, to do some voluntary work and help find resources for the orphanage from the rich," she said.

"The last one is admirable and the second one is always desirable. Only the treasure trove part seems farfetched. No harm in praying of course," he said as he patted her cheek.

"Enough now of the demonstrative part of your third resolution,” she said with a shy smile

Though an agnostic and never believed in miracles, he bought from December onwards each month one lottery ticket for about 50 rupees from state-run lotteries like Kerala or Sikkim. Though a non-believer, he thought this might facilitate the  Gods, whom Veda prays, to answer her prayers if they wished. He did not, however, divulge this to her.

The New Year came and Rangan was as short-tempered as he was, the outings continued to be few and far between. The much-expected annual rise in April also turned out to be meagre. Life was a dull routine. Six months had passed and he  started doubting the wisdom of spending on the lottery. As if in answer, he was surprised when his ticket won Rs 10,000 as the third or fourth prize. Though not a treasure trove, Veda and Rangan were jubilant and grateful for the small blessings. In deference to Veda’s wish, the entire money was put in a fixed deposit.

Life continued uneventfully for them even after their small lottery win. Though happy, he never really believed in miracles, and the daily grind of tight finances and unfulfilled dreams weighed on them both. Veda’s quiet hope for a windfall persisted along with her intense prayer. Much to the surprise of Veda, Rangan accompanied her to the temple these days and walked around the four corridors. Veda, though inwardly happy, wisely avoided talking about this change in him. 

He on his part decided to continue to buy the ticket every month. A few months later, when there was a festive occasion when big lottery schemes were announced, he bought for the first time on an impulse, a lottery priced at 500 Rs with prizes for several crores with a dozen tickets one in each series fetching one or two crores. He did not tell Veda this time too but his son who accompanied him to the bazaar was privy to this purchase and the ticket’s number.

The festival had come and gone. Rangan was on an official tour for a week. He had either not taken the ticket number with him or forgotten about the date of the declaration of results. His alert son who was in the bazaar found the results were out. He quietly noted down the winning numbers and rushed home. Back home, he was stunned to see his father’s ticket had won One Crore Rupees. While Veda ran to the puja room in utter disbelief, her son informed his father of the life-changing news. Rangan could hardly process what he heard as he was completely overwhelmed and in a daze. He complained of diarrhoea and returned home the next day.

 Veda greeted him with quiet joy and Rangan embraced her realizing this blessing was in answer to her prayers. Though not a religious man, he felt something shift within him. This win wasn’t just about money—it felt like a sign, something beyond chance.

When he accompanied Veda to the temple, without fully comprehending the power of faith, he felt once inside a newfound respect for the mysteries of life. Sitting beside her, he quietly admitted, “Maybe there’s more in prayer and faith than my foolish ego.”

Veda smiled. “Miracles find you when you least expect them if only you have unshakable faith,” she said softly.

For the first time, Rangan believed the truth in her words. The bell in the temple tolled loudly as if in agreement.