Raabta
“Everything happens for a reason, a good reason”, I always believe in it. Sometimes things happen and it takes a while for us to realise the goodness behind it and sometimes it happens instantly. Every little thing has a greater purpose behind it.
I recently came back from India to Milford Sound, my home. India has always been special to me, it was my second time over there, I have lived a lot of happy moments over there, but this time the experience was full of turmoil. I had spent some time in Manipal as a technical intern in Manipal University. It was an experience of a lifetime. I made a lot of beautiful friends and spent a. memorable time with all of them. This time I had just gone to explore more, and took my sister June along with me.
We lived such a Happy time wherever we went, we stayed at zostels, homestay, PGs at various places and were smitten by the hospitality of the people every where. We stayed up counting stars and waiting for the sunrise, we experienced peace while watching Sunsets and came a lot closer to ourselves and each other.
We were having a time of our life, I had messaged few of the Indian friends I made during my last stay and told them that I was wondering about them. Made a plan or two to meet a few but nothing flourished, but it was a great feeling to get in touch with them. It was a special day that day in Goa, I could feel something was about to happen, was slightly nervous as well, something was troubling me, I wasn't sure what was it about. Me and June stayed up for a long time, counting stars, conversing about life, Love and dreams. She dozed off around 0500h while I couldn't find sleep, something was up on my mind. I decided to take a walk down the beach and cherish the Sunrise.
It was slightly cold in the morning, so I put on my stole and moved out of my room. I took my hired scooty and went to the nearest beach. It was still dark, I was nervous but darkness had nothing to do with it, it was as if I was missing someone or someone was missing me. Doesn't it happen sometimes ? That you get the vibes ? I started walking on the beach, left my slippers somewhere and kept on walking. It was a soothing feeling to feel the cold sand, waves touching my feet intermittently as if trying to talk to me, such a nice feeling to hear the sound of the waves and wind. It felt as if the wind, the waves all were trying to converse with me, all were playing with me. I got rid of my nervousness and was filled with happiness.
I kept on walking, kept on feeling all that I could, I had nothing on the back of my mind, sometimes empty mind and heart is the happiest feeling that you can ever experience. But it's not everyday that universe conspires you to stay up and take a stroll down on the beach, waiting for a Sunrise.
A man passed by me. We smiled at each other in the dark.
He felt familiar, but I chose to continue walking, but it's not everyday, everything has a purpose or a reason before I could think about all such things or question about it I got my answer.
Eve !! A voice called from behind. My heart skipped a beat, I knew who he was, I got all my answers, my anxiety turned into ecstasy. How often have you realised that you live in a very small world ? How often do you come across people like that at that time of hour in the quietest of the places ? Such big world but he had to meet me here ? Destiny ? Universe ? Soulmate ?
I turned around as he said ‘Hi Eve’.
He must have had similar things on his mind and heart but I am glad he was courageous enough to speak to me. He had a question in his voice while he took my name but as I turned around, my face was full of smile and his nervousness turned into a beautiful smile. And we knew who we were, where exactly have we met earlier and how well it all had ended up back then. I wrapped my arms around him and told him that he has no idea how happy I was feeling to be with him. He reciprocated the same vibes. It was love, it has always been love ♥️ It was Arush !
We relived our little love story all over again. We again took an endless walk to remember. This time there wasn't any rain, any umbrella or ice-breaker conversation. The whole set up the rising sun's light, the sea waves, the wind, the stars, the moon, the sand felt like pre planned conspiracy of the universe. It all felt magical. We kept on smiling looking at each other, our smiles spoke to each other for sometime. I held his hand and rested my head on his shoulder, my sleep vanished. He didn't mind and we walked in silence for a while. I asked him Do you believe in Magic ? He said maybe I am living in a magic at that moment and I felt the same. He asked me, Do you believe in the fact that everything happens for a reason and I just smiled and nodded. While at that time that fact was the truth of my life, I had never felt like that never before and was sure meeting him was the reason.
We talked for a while again about life, more than that we lived each and every moment while we were together. I told him that I had come with my sister and he enquired about my brother, it felt sweet that he remembered him. While we were talking I realised that he wasn't the same boy I met years ago in college, he had turned into a soldier. He shared so many of his little stories and experiences. I realised he had a tough life, while we go on a vacation to different places a soldier always prefers to go home while he has leave from work. He mentioned that he had a flight to catch in the morning for home and that's the reason he was at the beach trying to stay awake and not miss the flight. He mentioned that he was going back after 6 months and was planning this leave for past few months but his leaves weren't approved because of operational commitments. He said he was happy that he met me and may be meeting her was the reason his leaves were delayed. I felt special, out of this world I must say. I loved his positive outlook and the way he was cherishing little things of life.
It was a goodbye time for us, he offered to drop me back like a gentleman but I wanted to stay for a little more while. It was tough to let him go but the moments we had were beautiful, moreover he was going back home so I couldn't stop him. We promised to stay in touch this time unlike last time. We hugged each other, I felt like keeping him close but had to let him go. While he started walking away I sat down in the sun on the sand and started admiring life like never before.
Everything about us was perfectly planned, he had asked me when I was supposed to leave India and from where. I had told him that I'll be leaving from Delhi next to next week and he had mentioned he would be there only and he would come to meet me at the Airport. That would have been our final goodbye for a long time to come. Throughout the time my stay for next two weeks I was waiting for the last day in Delhi. Somehow despite all the beautiful moments I was living everywhere, I still wished for the time to pass faster so that I could see him for the one last time.
And that final day had come when we were supposed to meet. My sister insisted that I must spend time with him alone and live a few more moments with him. Me and my sister reached airport early, and were waiting for him. He had texted that he was stuck somewhere and was running late. I told my sister to get inside and get some of the check in formalities done, she agreed to it and went inside. He finally came and it was again magical and beautiful to be by his side. He too was supposed to report somewhere on the same day, so we had a very little time. What left me mesmerized was the fact that he had come to meet me in uniform, last time I had insisted that I would love to see him that way but he had made it clear that he won't be able to. He kept my word even though he had mentioned that he avoided wearing it in public places but since he was supposed to report for an official thing he had to wear it. We stood there for a while and lived a story of our own.
But there were other things to happen then and there itself. We heard a few gunshots and I panicked. He held my hand and took me to a safe place and started to run inside, I clenched his hand and begged him to take me along with him. He denied and I again begged for June. He felt a bit perturbed as I mentioned June. He promised me that he will find her and she will be safe. Entire airport was in panic and everyone was running here and there. He left me at a safe place and insisted on staying over there while he ran inside.
I kept on crying endlessly, I couldn't understand a thing, gunshots increased. I was continuously praying for him and June. I didn't know what to do, I questioned myself why I came back here. All flights were momentarily cancelled. Airport was seized no one was allowed to go in or out. I was stuck outside and they were stuck inside. All the love and crazy stuff, I started cursing myself for it.
But soon everything became silent and after sometime a lot of sirens were heard, ambulances, police, Armed forces vehicles, media etc. Maybe it was all over. But still the airport was seized. But from far I saw a shadow coming out, it wasn't difficult at all to recognise him in his black uniform. Behind him I saw June, I couldn't stop my tears, she had clenched his arms and was hidden in his arms. It was love, his arms has always been love for everyone. She was denied to come out of the airport but he managed to bring her out to me. I hugged her and apologised her for leaving her alone. She hugged me tightly and thanked me for bringing the hero in her life. We both were in love. He stood there watching us crying in each other's arms. While we gathered some strength and held our tears we stood and walked toward him and just hugged him and stayed there for a while. We couldn't thank him enough for everything.
He handed a gift to June and said it was for her. And hugged me and said that was for me, that was more than enough. In that moment I recollected his words when he had mentioned that meeting her on that beach was the reason for his late leave.
I whispered to him that this moment, this goodbye, this hug, this love was the reason. I dont understand friendship, love or soulmates but I promised to meet him somewhere sometime !!
PS : In order to relate a bit more, read ‘A walk to remember’
http://mukul-unwritten.blogspot.com/?m=1
PPS : to be continued !
