clearing the rubble

"I want to take a picture of the woman singing to her child. I approach her to ask her for her permission, ready to point my camera when I catch her eye. I am about to speak, when I notice there is no child in the crib. She rocks the crib, pulling at a string attached to it, in rhythm to her song. Her eyes are shut as she sings her song, putting her baby to sleep. It looks a perfect picture. The stars are out, the fire burning closeby throwing a strong light on her face. Her song makes a perfect lullaby. I cannot understand the words but the tone sounds right to comfort a restless baby. Except there is no baby, any more..."


"Someone I knew said that if you can't clear the rubble you have to live with it, around it and over it, because what you lost is buried in there somewhere and until you find it, you have to keep on living with the rubble..."

- Mahesh Dattani