"This Blessed House"

I enjoyed the writing style, thought-provoking elements, and story line of this short work. The opening sentence ("They discovered the first one . . .") let me know right away that this story would at least somewhat revolve around whatever kind of object this was. I soon learned the object was a little statue of Christ. Twinkle finds similar objects throughout the story, but her husband Sanjeev hates them. From a spiritual perspective, I view these objects first and obviously as representations of Jesus. God is all around us . . . If we take the time to notice, we see His power at work in the people we see, the air we breathe, the beautiful skies, and in all of nature.  

But so often we let these things bother us; we act like Sanjeev. The rain frustrates us when we don't want to get wet. We let people hurt us and may not want to forgive. We refuse to find God in the things He places around us. We let a division come between us and God or others. Sanjeev didn't want to know anything about the Christian objects, poster, light switch plates, or statues. He didn't give himself the chance to understand the beauty they represented, the truth in them, or the story behind them. His attitude against the objects even caused his first angry fight with Twinkle.  

It's interesting, though, because he is the one who found and purchased the house. And every time he tries to get rid of one of the objects, it does not go well. One time he scratched glass, others he fought with Twinkle.  Yet she sees the objects as blessings. It's as if he cannot see the beauty around him. When he becomes angry about the Virgin Mary statue, the skies are blue and the trees are full of beautifully colored leaves; and he still chooses to let the statue cloud all of this.

Twinkle.

Her name is very fitting.  She's cheerful, friendly, free-spirited, and maybe somewhat irresponsible.  She enjoys the simple pleasure of finding these objects and is not concerned with impressing people or with what they may think of her and Sanjeev. Unfortunately this is one thing that directly bothers Sanjeev; he cannot relate to her in these areas.

Sanjeev.

Sanjeev may be caught in a web of what he thinks he ought to be.  He is Indian; he wants to eat proper Indian food and continue Hindu religious traditions.  He struggles with feeling like a man (maybe by comparing himself to the definition established by his heritage and culture), even wanting Twinkle to not wear heals so she's shorter than him. He introduces Twinkle by her Indian name. Instead of his life showing what he stands for, he wants the appearances to handle it. For him it would be easier to eliminate the Christian objects rather than to have to explain them.