“Well, you are past the prime of your age, What do you expect to achieve now?”, with a little conceit he said. It was quite an assertion to dampen her spirit, soaked in the possibilities of tomorrow, already!

But, she gathered herself and said in a low, but firm voice,”Bodies grow old, not the spirit, not the dreams. And if my dreams are embedded deep enough, and my efforts to achieve them, persistent and tenacious, they shall add all the fuel to light up my fire.”

“Hmm, let’s see if the fire remains or just the smoke of vanity!”, said he, with an obvious churlish tinge to his tone.

“And only if you could distinguish between vanity and prudence, dear.”, she could only think.

She was hurt at this attempt to cause abrasion and to lacerate the tender, minuscule world that she had carefully woven and long carried within herself. Notwithstanding the insolent attempt, she disentangled her thoughts and thought to herself,

“It’s showtime, darling!”

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