I woke up suddenly and lay in bed for a while with my eyes open. Although the windows were closed, I could tell it was still very early. I decided to stay still until the chirping of the birds signaled the start of dawn.
I asked myself, “Why waste this valuable time?” Silently, I observed “Pansil” and spent a little time in meditation. In my heart, I remembered my late father and my ninety-seven-year-old mother. I thought about how I could truly express my gratitude to them. It is a difficult task, but I realized that if I spend the rest of my life living calmly and helping society, it would serve as a tribute to my beloved parents.
Since there was still time before the day began, I stayed quiet so as not to disturb the sound sleep of Mevan and my wife, Malanee. I spent a few moments thinking about the obligations I needed to fulfill today. Finally, I got up and slowly walked out of the bedroom.
By the time I completed my morning routine, the dawn was bright and sunny. Malanee woke up and entered the kitchen, saying, “Kodi, I had a wonderful dream last night!” I stayed silent to let her explain.
She said, “The two of us flew to the UK to celebrate Lokka’s birthday at their Bristol annex. Aselee cut the cake, and Lokka told us it was a lovely cake made by Nimna. While we were enjoying ourselves, I heard the whistle of a pressure cooker. Suddenly, I opened my eyes.”
She realized it was just a dream. Laughing, I told her, “That wasn’t a UK pressure cooker—I was boiling ‘kawpee’ in our pressure cooker here at home!” We both laughed as she started her workday.
Later, she mentioned that we needed to prepare lunch for our relatives in Waraplana, who have helped us so much over the years. My assistant, Rasu, and I had already prepared the basics. By noon, we had fried rice, chicken devilled, and dhal curry ready. Malanee prepared a salad, and Rasu packed everything neatly into the car.
During the thirty-minute drive, we chatted about her dream. When we arrived, the Warapalana family welcomed us warmly. We sat and talked about the past, present, and future of our two families. It was wonderful to have a get-together after such a long time. They treated us with great hospitality and saw us off with traditional respect. On the way back, we reminisced about the time my wife worked as a doctor at the nearby hospital and the kindness they showed us then.
After returning, I had lunch and headed to bed for a nap. However, I couldn’t rest for even a minute! My wife came in and told me she had left her mobile phone at their house. I called Chamila, who told me they had already found the phone and were on their way to return it. They arrived within ten minutes, and I thanked them.
After finally getting my nap and waking up, I had a long, pleasant chat with my favorite people. I also called Podi Malli to check on my mother’s health and catch up on village news.
My wife treated patients at her dispensary until 9:00 PM. Later, Mevan brought home some cheese koththu, and we had a lovely family chat at the dining table. Before heading to bed, I completed my routine work. I hope to have a sound sleep tonight to end this fulfilling day.
Stories of Kodi 
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