I watched smiling, as the three kids raced along the winding steps to my house. Their laughter echoed in the air.

‘Aththamma, we are so happy to see you smiling’ The three granddaughters cried out in unison.

‘Me happy, me happy’ chimed Liah, the youngest granddaughter doing a jig.

‘What are you planning today? Are you going to listen to my stories? Or will you be playing with your toys”

‘Playing with toys” eldest of the three, Gracie declared.

‘Alright, but remember the rules. After playing, all the toys must go back into the box near the couch.’ I reminded them.

The eldest granddaughter, Gracie wasted no time and sat down near the couch and started to rummage through the toy box. Her face lit up when she found her mermaid and took her out with both hands, adoring the doll. The blue-pink-blond strands of hair, of the mermaid was soon rustled up and Gracie started tying ribbons.

Then it was Sienna’s turn to find her favourite – a dinosaur and its egg. She placed the dinosaur egg in a bowl of water and then sat cross- legged, her chin resting on her palms as she waited. Within minutes, the egg cracked and a baby dinosaur  wriggled out. Sienna loved to play with the little dinosaur and the egg.

Meanwhile, little Liah found her favourite panda and started playing with it, chattering away, her voice full of excitement. ‘Pandi, pandi, did you have milk today? Did aththamma give you milk?’

While they are playing, I busied myself preparing rice, dhal curry, fish curry and gotukola sambal for lunch.

I knew the girls loved my dhal curry- mild and cooked deliciously with coconut milk.

I was stirring the pot of dhal curry when I heard a sigh behind me.

Turning around, I saw Liah standing near the kitchen, her face long, mouth hanging down; Tears were almost about to drop down her pretty cheeks.

I stopped my work and knelt down beside her, wrapping an arm round her shoulders.

‘Do you want to talk with me, Liah?’I asked gently.

‘Aththamma,’she began slowly, ‘I don’t want to be a doctor when I grow up,’

‘And I don’t want to be a teacher or an engineer like Gracie and Sienna,’ she continued.

‘Go on Liah, I am listening” I said, continuing to pat her little arm softly.

‘Aththamma,’ Liah declared. ‘I want to be a cleaner.’

I bit back a laugh, knowing this moment was too precious for amusement. Liah pouted her lips very seriously.

‘Aththamma I want to clean your house, put all the toys in the toy box.’ she said. ‘I also want to clean your room, our room and the kitchen. Then you will have less work to do.’

My heart melted at her sincerity. ‘Thank you, Liah, for being so kind. You will be able to do everything you want, as you grow up. I will always be there by your side, helping you.’ I gave her a big hug.

‘Now wash your hands and have lunch with Gracie and Sienna.’ I said, giving her a kiss on her cheek.

As she ran off, my heart swelled with gratitude for beautiful moments like these – moments filled with love and imaginations of childhood, which are always painted with myriad of colourful stories.

(My friend, Lakshmi Wijewardena told me the story of her granddaughter who wished to become a cleaner).

By Diyamanthi Galpoththage – Auckland