Srimadh Ramayanam
When Lord Rama left Sita in the forest, she found refuge in the ashram of a revered guru. There, in quiet strength, she gave birth to her two sons and raised them with care and dignity. When they had grown enough to stand on their own, she chose to send them to their father. Her heart, however, remained heavy with longing. Unable to bear the separation from Rama, she ultimately decided to return to her mother—the Earth—and end her earthly journey.
There is so much to learn from the Ramayana. I see Sita as my ideal. In my own life, I feel a reflection of her story. My husband left me at my parents’ home, and my son grew up away from me. At times, I feel as though I have no reason to continue. Yet, my son still longs for me. Now that he is grown and capable, I find a reason to stay—to live at least until I see him settled in life.
My journey has been difficult. I have only a handful of memories with my husband and my son, and I hold onto them tightly. I live by revisiting those moments, while quietly hoping to create a few more before this life passes.
When I think of Sita, I remind myself that her suffering was immense. She at least shared a life with her husband for some time, while I never truly had that chance. Circumstances and unseen forces kept us apart, placing barriers in our path. Yet, at times, I feel my pain deeply—the absence of both my husband and my child weighs heavily on me.
My son understands my suffering in ways beyond his years. He cares for me as much as he can. My husband, I believe, is caught in his own struggles, burdened by wounds and hardships I may never fully see.
There is so much I could say, but when it comes to living through it, the weight becomes overwhelming. I miss the home that could have been ours. I have learned that it takes a strong heart to endure such pain. Time has made me more patient and more mature, yet the feeling of absence remains constant—something only I can feel within myself, just as only my husband can understand his own struggles.
So I have made a quiet decision: I will live as long as I can endure, holding on to hope in whatever form it comes. Perhaps one day, patience will bring us together—or perhaps it will simply help us survive apart.
Life cannot always go beyond what is within our reach. But if we face what we can, step by step, we continue to live.
At this stage in my life, I find myself with my parents, learning the true meaning of suffering and endurance. I will continue this journey as long as they are with me. And when they are gone, I feel I may follow them, trusting that by then my son will be strong enough to live his life without feeling my absence. I do not wish to become a burden to him in my old age.
I carry forward the lesson Sita gave to the world—of strength, sacrifice, and quiet dignity. And through it all, I continue to miss my husband and my son.
— Jessy Jacob
