Friday, August 24, 2007

Coming back to Life

"You make me more happy than I have ever been in my life and if you give me a chance, I would like to give you the same kind of happiness. Monica, will you marry me?" As Chandler spoke these words, all the spectators on the sets gave a collective sigh, and so did she. As she switched off her computer she thought that how ever realistic she tried to train herself to be, at heart she was still the hopeless romantic that she had always been. But now, her eyes had opened. She understood that such romance was only in fiction - be it novels, TV or movies. Real life was about practicality. Whenever anyone told her that they had found the "special someone", she wondered how long it would be before they gave up Love under the pretext of "being practical". At times, she wondered whether she had got the definition of Love wrong, else why would it mean so different to others from what it meant to her. For her, Love was sacred, something to be cherished and treasured, never hurt nor rejected. So, rather than change her view about Love, she had given up trying to look for it, or for people who understood it like her. True Love was found only in fiction, 'cause, everyone dreamed of it, but, only some found it, and, few actually went ahead and nurtured it. So, while in Rome, do as Romans do - be "practical" - that was her Mantra, of late.

She was driving back home. She was in a good mood - her day had gone well, work was giving good results, she had had fun with her friends, managed to leave early for home and the next day was a holiday! As she drove through the market, she noticed an unusual hustle-bustle and remembered that the next day was a festival of Goddess Lakshmi. The air was fragrant with the scent of flowers - the lovely sevanthige [chrysanthemum], mallige [jasmine], sampige [champaka], rose and the lotus, the flower of Lakshmi devi. Fruit vendors proudly displayed their ware - bananas, apples, guavas, pomegranates, and even, the last mangoes. Prices were higher than usual, as normally happens on festival eves. People moved about, like swarms of bees. Like the Drone following the queen bee, middle aged men, with pot bellies and graying wisps of hair, carrying banana plants, meekly and silently followed their diminutive wives who bravely haggled over the prices with the vendors. She grinned looking at this. The entire air was one of festivity and joy. Even the drivers seemed unmindful of the excessive crowd today - was the honking truly less, or was she too distracted to pay heed to it, she wondered. As she looked about her, she saw ahead of her, three camels, serenely making their way through the traffic. The cars around were calmly moving alongside the camels, as though it was a matter of routine to have four legged towering beasts among four wheeled screeching machines :D "It happens only in India", she thought, as she chuckled to herself.
She had always loved melas and festivities. And, today she felt young again, a child in a fair, looking at wondrous things in awe, and marvelling at stuff that the 'grown-ups' find commonplace.

It started to rain. She felt the drizzle hit her and she turned her face to it, feeling the water drip over her. A nameless joy filled her, filling her being with happiness. She was in Love - in Love with Life - and, finally she had found her lifelong love...

20 comments:

Sid said...

Hmm... back to life eh? Well, pardon my skepticism, but I have known this Monica to go through these 'comebacks' quite often; won't be long before she starts cribbing and dreaming again! :P

Bastet said...

well, the failure is not in falling but in failing to rise again ! :) So, no matter how many ever times she falls, you must appreciate her pluck in wanting to spring back :)

Sid said...

Hmm... the grapes really are sour :P

Bastet said...

well... depends how you look at it, Baab.. Half-full or Half-empty; Gracefully-letting-go-and-moving-on or sour-grapes... You can call it by any name, it just depends how you look at it.. What is imp tho, is to have a positive outlook towards life, and that is all She is trying to achieve here..

wander1ust said...

Touching story. Don't ask her to give up - I'm sure she will find the Chandler of her dreams :)

Bastet said...

I sure hope she does. Let this be one dream that turns to reality....

Sid said...

Tsk Tsk ;)
At least blog pe nahi please :P

Bastet said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bastet said...

@ sid baab

tsk tsk, kids of today... always shooting their mouth off about stuff they dont understand....

MM said...

A very touching post indeed, pulled at my heart strings, it did. She is gonna get a man who understands her and who lets her be as she is, cause he LOVES her. She just has to wait a bit more... :)

Bastet said...

:) So be it :)

Nissim said...

Chandler!!
I am shocked!!

Nissim said...

the weather here reminds me of those evergreen Pink Floyd lines:

Outside the rain fell dark and slow,
while I pondered on this dangerous but irresistible pastime,
I took a heavenly ride through our silence,
I knew the moment had arrived,
FOR KILLING THE PAST and COMING BACK TO LIFE.

Bastet said...

@ nissim

Ah! Lovely song, na, tht one.. tht's why the title to the post as well.. awesome lyrics, awesome guitar..

Killing the past... but, does the past ever die! The ghosts do remain, threating to haunt.. and, sometimes, you dont really want to "kill" the past... You want to be able to live with it, though you cant live it... nor leave it..

Bastet said...

@ nissim again :D

Btw, Chandler is symbolic here :D Tho, he isnt really bad... :) But, John Abraham would be more than welcome :D Tht guy is seriously eye-candy-icecream-chocolate-cake.. all rolled into one :D

Nissim said...

@bastet
one of my all-time favourites.
abt Chandler...i understand its 'symbolic'...but i remember an sms conversation that had rather stay off this blog :P.

Bastet said...

@ nissim

Oh no no.. now dont get any ideas :P I meant the Chandler from the sitcom itself, and, about how sweet he was in that episode :P Reading between lines strictly forbidden!

Nissim said...

isn't that what reading all these papers teaches you.
maybe i've done a little too much lit survey.

aN said...

OMG ! are you an accomplished writer masqueranding as a biotech student :D really touching.. you beet khalid hossini at the senti stuff :P

Bastet said...

@ nissim

Well, during Lit, I ll be more than happy if I can read the lines and grasp them, let alone read between the lines :D

@ Aneesh

Wow! Thanku thanku :) Me yet to read Kite Runner, so unaware of how big is the compliment u've given me :)