 |
| Rama and Sita |
"So, Sita, would you like to tell me what is the worst part?" Dr. Laura smiled at Sita from behind the big exotic teak desk.
"Yes, of course. After marrying a prince, then being exiled was bad. Being kidnapped by an evil demon was not good.When I literally jumped into fire for Rama to prove my innocence in marriage was the worst, until I found out I was pregnant. Rama left our home to go be the king. It was awful to be all alone and raising his twin sons. But that was, again, not the worst. No, I think the worst is when he..." and Sita broke off a sob raising her delicate royal hand dripping with expensive gold and jewels to her mouth.
"The worst is when he shows up after all the hard work is done 18 years later to claim the glory of the children as if it were somehow all his efforts. I knew he had to be away for his job, but he was gone for so long. I never gave up the faith of our love while he was gone. Rama just does not feel the same way." Sita looked down into her lap, feeling loss and betrayal.
"So, Sita, what I hear you saying is that you are angry and hurt because Rama is king and had to be away while you had to raise the children alone? You still feel the same for him as you always have, but you feel that Rama is not reciprocating these feelings?" Dr. Laura asked.
"So, Sita, what I hear you saying is that you are angry and hurt because Rama is king and had to be away while you had to raise the children alone? You still feel the same for him as you always have, but you feel that Rama is not reciprocating these feelings?" Dr. Laura asked.
"Rama, can you take the time now to tell Sita how much you value all the sacrifice and hard work she has endured alone? Sometimes people really need to know that you aren't just taking them for granted." Dr. Laura spoke softly but firmly as if metered by an invisible metronome.
Rama nervously glanced around the sunny office of Dr. Laura. He was soaking in the exotic sweet- smelling plants, the bookcase full of books that Dr. Laura wrote, colorful glass art pieces, the pictures of Dr. Laura on her travels, the details like the ornate woven rug that was probably from Istanbul by the looks of its superior craftsmanship. It was almost too intense, too difficult for him to look up at the most beautiful woman in the world. His wife Sita was truly beyond compare.
"It is very kind of you to do so much work for so little thanks in return, Sita. I am sorry I did not tell you how grateful I am for your sacrifices. You and our children are amazing." Rama choked out the words as he fondly gazed upon the face of his partner forever bound.
Dr. Laura was really hoping for a breakthrough today. And soon too. She was looking forward to making it to the new oxygen bar that opened up on Mulholland Drive. Sessions with these high maintenance couples could really be taxing. Self-care is a must!
 |
| Oxygen Bar |
"You know what, Rama? I think it is your turn to prove yourself to me for a change! Would you walk through fire to be with me and our children? How about if you prove yourself to me by giving up the one thing you cannot live without! That is what I want from you, Rama! Will you give up your job and come home and be a husband and a father?" Sita demanded as she stood up from the couch and flailed her arms akimbo.
"Yes, Sita, if you will have me, I will be glad to come home." Rama felt his stomach sinking as he had now given his word. This was not the choice he had wanted to make, giving up being the king of everything. But he knew that he had broken her heart too many times...
Sita throws her arms around Rama and they embrace.
Dr. Laura smiles because this is the breakthrough she knew was there. "Okay then, we will see you folks next week!"
Sita throws her arms around Rama and they embrace.
Dr. Laura smiles because this is the breakthrough she knew was there. "Okay then, we will see you folks next week!"
Author's Note:
Like some really great humans, Rama and Sita are just so dysfunctional. It really makes for a great story on couples therapy to me. This is a continuation of the last story I had written about Sita and Rama called Rama and Sita Hit a Snag. Sita has the heart of a saint. In the ending of the movie that inspired this story Sita jumps into Mother Earth. I have ended it with Rama needing to prove himself by trial of something more modern. Being an active parent: being a good dad and husband is the work of kings and heroes in my opinion!
The animated story of Sita Sings the Blues is awesome. I dare you to not enjoy the clever show! Because I think it's impossible not to laugh, smile, groove to the music and feel touched by the moving stories.
I like how there is a mixture of tales happening at once. The couple in San Francisco and Rama and Sita. The layers parallel with the Vishnu and Lakshmi avatars. I love the colorful art and melancholic music. The people in the background that are narrating the stories are priceless because they are showing the different variations of the story with their comments, even commenting on what may be original to one version of the story.
Like some really great humans, Rama and Sita are just so dysfunctional. It really makes for a great story on couples therapy to me. This is a continuation of the last story I had written about Sita and Rama called Rama and Sita Hit a Snag. Sita has the heart of a saint. In the ending of the movie that inspired this story Sita jumps into Mother Earth. I have ended it with Rama needing to prove himself by trial of something more modern. Being an active parent: being a good dad and husband is the work of kings and heroes in my opinion!
I like how there is a mixture of tales happening at once. The couple in San Francisco and Rama and Sita. The layers parallel with the Vishnu and Lakshmi avatars. I love the colorful art and melancholic music. The people in the background that are narrating the stories are priceless because they are showing the different variations of the story with their comments, even commenting on what may be original to one version of the story.
Link to my last story Rama and Sita Hit a Snag
Link to the original Sita Sings the Blues
Bibliography: Author: Nina Paley. Title: Sita Sings the BluesYear: 2008.
word count 687, author count 183
word count 687, author count 183
First of all, I love your picture! It is awesome! I really like how you put Sita and Rama in therapy. They definitely needed it. I also think that Sita was treated unjustly. She did do all of the work and then Rama had the audacity to take away the boys from Sita. If I was Sita I would have completely broken down/flipped out. It sucks that Rama could basically do whatever he wanted and Sita had no power over the situation. I hope he does the fire trial for Sita.
ReplyDeleteLa Dawn, great job on this story of Rama and Sita. I love the modern picture you found that depicted how they potentially would have looked/dressed. The therapy style story is really cool! You did a good job of taking some of the context of the Ramayana and adding to it. I liked how at the end, Rama decided that Sita was more important that his position as king.
ReplyDeleteHello La Dawn,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your retell story about Rama and Sita. I really like the image of Rama and Sita that showed another version of Rama and Sita’s image. In addition to that, I aslo liked the way you retell the story as an interview of Rama and Sita while putting them in a therapy. However, I do believe that Sita was treated very unfairly when it comes to justify herself pure. When you love someone, there should not be a space for doubt, so Rama should have trusted her pureness. It was interesting how you added more description and detail from original Ramayana into your retell story. It was nice the way you layout the paragraphs, it helped in reading the story smooth and fast. Your author’s note was also descriptive which was great. Thank you for sharing your story. I am forward to read more of your portfolio stories.
I really enjoyed reading your story! I loved Sita Sings the Blues. I think that is my favorite thing we have done so far this semester! I am really glad you enjoyed it as well. I really liked how you put it as a couples therapy session. While I was reading Ramayana, I felt like they definitely needed couples therapy, so they fact that you put as that scenario is absolutely comical! And let us be honest- relationships are messy and dysfunctional. Not one of them are perfect even if you are the most beautiful princess and the most perfect king in all the land! You did a great job at modernizing it! I really liked your pictures throughout the story too! They were on point! And the oxygen bar- hahaha! Well done! I really look forward to see what other creative stories you come up with next! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteLaDawn,
ReplyDeleteI think this story is wonderfully approached by using therapy to help aid in the relationship of Sita and Rama, classic! The image you used at the top of the page of Rama and Sita is great! I have not seen a modern picture of them before. I love how Dr. Laura is tired and distraught over the session that she is looking forward to the new oxygen bar. That is a great light-hearted way to end the story. Great work!
Hi LaDawn,
ReplyDeleteI am happy to be revisiting your stories this week! I loved reading what you wrote last semester and it is always a pleasure to be reading new stories by you! Out of all the couples in the stories we have read this semester, I do think that Rama and Sita could benefit from therapy the most. I think they both have ideas of who each other should be but do to communicate effectively. I like that you point that out in your story. There are areas where Rama, more than Sita, could really work on. Especially he should put himself in Sita's shoes and give as much up for her as she has for him. You did a really good job with this story. Perhaps because I am a sassy person, I am always advocating for women in stories to be a bit more... stubborn and sassy with their husbands in therapy. Not in a bad way, but I think it provides a bit of humor in a relatively heartbreaking and sad situation. Either way, this story was well written and thank you for sharing it!