A story based on Maya Angelou's quotes

I have always been an admirer of  Maya  Angelou.I have  got a large number of her quotations in my possession.  I am writing a fictional story and have tried to weave her sayings into the story. The response of the readers will only tell whether I am successful in my  endeavor.



                                     MAYA  ANGELOU

 pic courtesy google




Seema and Sheela were good friends.  Sheela’s father was an ordinary clerk working in a factory.  He was a cancer patient, but continued to work for the sake of his family. Seema’s father was a multi millionaire. Both of them studied in the same college. Seema was a large hearted girl.She was not at all proud of her father’s wealth. Her belief was to become a rainbow in some ones cloud. Seema was a brave girl. She took tuitions after college, so that she may not be a burden on her father, who was very ill. She had two younger brothers. Sheela’s income from tuitions, took care of the expenses of her brothers. Her neighbours used to make fun of her. They taunted her that her father was dependent on her money,  Sheela had the courage to face all of them. She used to tell her father ,”Let the barking dogs bark”. She believed that courage is the most important of all virtues, because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.

 Seema’s brother Arun was madly in love with Sheela. She also reciprocated his love. Whenever he raised the topic of marriage, she replied that she had many duties to fulfil. She told him that she too loved him, but could not think of marriage till her commitments were over. “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour, and some style.” Arun was impressed by her  thoughts and assured her that he would wait for her till eternity.

  Seema invited her friend Sheela to her birthday party.  She was unaware of  the  love  brewing between her brother and her friend. The guests were assembled in the lawn, which was lighted so well, that it looked like a fairy land. It was time to cut the cake. Seema was searching for Arun, but he was not to be seen . She went to his room and was shocked to see the love birds locked in a tight embrace. “ Arun, what is going on here?”  She saw her friend and said, ”You! Oh, Sheela I am so happy for you. Why you never told me about your  love.If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love.  Give it to Arun.  The love of both of you, is my best birthday gift.”She hugged her friend. She addressed her brother and said,” I am so happy for you .Love life, engage in it, give it all you've got. love it with a passion, because life truly does give back, many times over, what you put into it.”

Arun  proposed to  Sheela , but she  told him that she had the responsibility of her brothers. She could think of marriage only after their  liability was over. Arun tried to convince her that he would take the responsibility of educating her brothers, but she did not agree. An idea occurred to her, ”If you don’t object I will continue to take tuitions after marriage, till  they are settled. Arun did not approve of this suggestion, but  knowing the pride of Sheela he gave his concurrence. After all success is liking what you do and liking how you do it.”

 Love life, engage in it, give it all you've got. love it with a passion, because life truly does give back, many times over, what you put in it. "If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love

 written in response to Write Tribe Wednesday  prompt  on the quotations of Maya Angelou.