It was a cold November evening , typically wet and windy with freezing temp that London has to offer us. My classes just got over and my college mates and I were making our way to the tube station to catch our evening trains at peak hour. While we were walking and chatting away we heard a baby crying . It wasn't just a cry, but a cry for help I would say. Trying to figure out where the cry was coming from , we looked around . I thought may be homeless woman was hiding behind the bins from the cold weather. We thought that we would ask her to take herself and the baby to a shelter. When we went behind the huge bins we see a baby wrapped in thin clothing. Her lips were white of hypothermia and the mother was no where to be seen. God knows how many feeling went past and through my heart. I was upset, scared, angry. Angry that how can one leave a baby outside in a weather like this. Upset seeing the baby so week and struggling, scared thinking wether she would make it or not. I took my sweater off and wrapped her up well, called up and Ambulance, called the cops. She was taken to the hospital and I was asked to come if i wanted to. I just couldn't leave her. So I got in the ambulance. Spent the whole night besides her watching her recover. Through out the night I was wondering, thinking, how?? It was just tearing me up into pieces inside.
Next day when she stabilized , my friends and I had spent time playing with her. I didn't go home.. finally the hospital and the child welfare authorities came to me to tell me what a brave thing I have done. But none of that was going through to my ears. I was just happy to see her smile, and see her sleep peacefully. Everyone asked me to name her . I couldn't think what I should name her so the only name that came to my mind was " Ashiyana" meaning gift from god ! It was one of my favorite names for some reason..
Christmas eve and New years night I spent them with Ashiyana. I enjoyed every moment with her. It was an amazing feeling. Feeling I never had. I was confused. Sure I liked kids.. but never knew I would just get attached to one so much.
I called my my parents up and told them that the kid would go into foster care in some days until they get a suitable family. I wanted to keep her. My parents explained to me that if they were younger then they would have adopted her for me until I was financially responsible,but they couldn't due to circumstances .
I kept visiting Ashiyana till she was 3, and then it had to end due to adoption policies in the UK.
Every year on this day I sit and wonder how she looks? how she is doing? She is now 6.
How could people just leave a child like her on the streets or any child for that matter. I later got to know that there is a lot a mother goes through, from teenage pregnancy, to post delivery depression that drive women to take irrational decision. Its not their fault really, its all in the mind.. The nurses were able to give me a better perspective of what a woman goes through from the time of birth to post birth mentally.
But still. I wish there were other ways to solve such situations. I am glad she is safe and sound.. and I will always miss her.
Someone is a part of my life but not really there.
