The clock showed 4:00 PM. Evening sun was shining through the window; the room had a single bed, faded pink walls were decorated with beautiful paintings and posters. The photo on the table showed a girl with bright eyes, silky black hairs flirting over her cheeks, smile that clung to her lips like cake crumbs. Looking at the array of trophies anyone could tell the girl had a bright future. But the girl on bed was a totally different person! Eyes looked dead, her beautiful smiled had vanished. She isolated herself from everyone. Every few minutes her eyes kept glancing at her mobile hoping that “one” person would call her or text her. She hoped this was all a bad bad dream from which she would wake up soon. But deep down she knew things were not going to be same from here on. Circumstances have lead to their break up. Months have passed yet she couldn't get over him.
At 4:15 pm her phone rang, her eyes lit up she grabbed the phone but it was from her friend. Her friends have been inviting her to go out but she has been cooking up stories and not going out, this time again she dodged the invitation. Her mom came up to the room looking worried and knocked, her daughter was always chirpy and bubbly type but off late she is not the same.
Mom: “Are you alright dear?”
Daughter: “Yes mom! I am fine!”
Mom: “You have cut off yourself from the outside world. I am your mom you can tell me anything…”
Daughter: “No mom… I am fine… I am going out with my friends now…”
Mom: “Really…? Well, that is nice to hear honey!”
In another fifteen minutes she got ready and made a fake call to her friend to make her mom believe. She walked out of the house holding her purse not knowing where to go. She kept walking until she reached a park and decided to sit for a while on the bench. A lot of small children were playing in the park; she tried to divert her thoughts on the kids. The game made no sense to her but the kids loved it; they were screaming on tops of their voices, falling over each other laughing. Suddenly she heard a voice near her. She was startled to see an old lady sitting next to her.
Old lady: “Wonderful aren’t they?!”
Girl: “Yes”
Old lady said with a smile: “You used to play like that…!”
The girl was shocked to hear that, she was not sure if she had played like that but to hear about you from a stranger is strange!
Girl: “I’m sorry… I don’t remember you… how do you know me?”
Old lady still smiling: “Oh dear… I know a lot about you than you know about yourself”
The girl was stunned she didn’t know how to react! Was she bluffing?! How could she know about me? Her mind was racing.
Old lady: “Tell me dear… what happened to you?”
The old lady had a very soft calm voice, she had wrinkles around her eyes but still they glowed. When she smiled the wrinkles made her eyes so small yet it showed deep wisdom. She felt her emotions rushing out.
Girl: “I… I… I don’t know… I fell in love with him. We were perfect for each other. Circumstances were against us and we decided to end things not wanting to hurt others. But still we love each other. I miss him badly. I am not sure if you do understand me or the complex nature of things”
Shining crystals of pure sadness rolled out of her eyes. The old lady was looked deep into her eyes as if she was able to see through her soul.
Old lady: “Tell me dear… Do you remember your primary school friend, nitya? How you both were together always? How much you cried the day she moved to another city? Do you still love her?”
The girl was really really taken back…! How much did the old lady know?! She knew talking to stranger was not right but this old lady was different. She couldn’t stop herself from replying.
Girl: “Yes… I remember nitya. We were very close friends. And yes I still love her.”
Old lady: “Do you still love your higher secondary friends?”
Girl: “You mean harita and mohan? Yes we meet every now and then and catch up on things. I love them too!!”
Old lady: “Do you love your parents?”
Girl: “Yes I do! What kind of question is this?”
Old lady: “Hmmm… I fail to understand one thing dear… you love harita,mohan & nitya… you love this boy… what is the difference between these loves? You seem to be doing well without being in constant touch with friends… why so?”
The girl was astonished by the question… she didn’t have an answer for the question. She loved her friends and she loved him as well… nobody has ever told her this is “friends love” that is “boy friend love”… it is all same love right?
Girl: “I… I... don’t know”
The old lady smiled at her and said: “Tell me the reason why you are not yourself these days? Why the gloomy look?”
Girl: “I miss him very badly. I love him so much that I cannot live without him!”
Old lady: “so this love for the boy, is it different from the love you have for parents? Ignoring the physical appearances”
Again the girl was staggered by the thought.
Girl: “Love is the same…”
Old lady: “My dear girl… the job of mind is to discriminate things; it tries to evaluate everything in life. The prospect of marrying the guy was very much valued by your mind hence it cannot handle the disappointment. But again it is you who should control the mind not the mind over you.”
Girl: “But my love is true… it is not figment of my mind”
Old lady: “Yes dear I know… you love nitya your old primary school friend. After she moved out of city, it didn’t stop you from loving your friend’s harita and mohan! You love them too right?”
Girl: “Yes…! But I cannot stop loving him…! What if I end up married to someone else?”
Old lady: “People are living with a misconception that you can fall in love only once but that is not true. You can take example of your life how you love nitya, harita and mohan! You didn’t stop loving nitya just because she moved out and you will love all your old and new friends throughout your life. True love doesn’t have expectations and comes from heart dear… and our mind fails to understand love, it tries to equate love with physical attraction or wealth. Your mind is trying to equate love with the time you spend with him but it fails miserably because it cannot find logic in love! Just because he is not part of your life doesn’t mean you will never fall in love! If your search for true love is honest it will find you. Understand true love you will be happy always!”
The girl felt as if someone magically has lifted weights of her shoulders. She smiled the smile that clung to her lips like cake crumbs!
Girl: “what is your name madam?”
Old lady smiles: “… kamna”
How could it be possible?! No wonder she knew everything about her! The girl woke up with shock. The clock showed 4:15 pm, her mobile was ringing; it was her friend calling her she picked up the phone.
Her friend: “Kamna! Have you decided never to step out of house?! Come on girl! can we go for a movie?!”
Kamna taking a deep breath: “Yes! I am coming!”
Disclaimer: All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. Please share it if you like the post.
