A Beautiful non-Dream

I had told her earlier that I do not want a cake and she had confirmed that she knew it. She had assured me that it was just the two of us eating out like any other day. But it wasn't just any other day. And I had no idea about it either. Absolutely nothing. Keine Ahnung. Zero. Zilch. 

Our final evaluations were already over. AN and RP were already back home by then. MR and I... we were still there in the town - both of us had some additional work. We used to meet up every now and then, but the frequency had reduced a lot even if we were in the same town, just a little over a kilometer's distance away.

So, on my birthday, MR asked me to go out for lunch together. I reminded her again that there can't be any typical celebrations (cake and dessert stuff). She affirmed that it would be just a simple lunch. 

There was no reason for me to expect anything anyway - an out of the blue event or any surprise of sorts. I mean, it was just me. In addition, it's always difficult to hide things from me. I kind of had a knack for sensing out things like that. Plus a surprise event for me was even out of imagination.So, unaware of anything, without any clue, I entered the restaurant - one of my preferred places in that town. Oh my, was I wrong? And how?

******

I love planning surprises and/or events, because I know how to do that. Most often than not, I would know everyone's preference: of food, of gift, and how best to execute everything that they would like. It always made sense to me.

Noticing or observing minor details about people's expressions while listening to them, what makes their eyes shine brighter, what makes them smile unknowingly, and thus knowing what they like had always been my thing. I have always believed that being that attentive was my self-assigned duty of sorts.

But you see, I had never been in the receiving. And I never imagined or believed myself to be worthy of that sort of privilege. For starters, others hardly ever knew anything about me or my preferences. I never imagined that someone else too can be attentive towards my jibber jabber and get to know about me from that. But they did.

 ******

Guess what... MR wasn't alone in the restaurant, AN and RP were there too! For me. For several minutes, I couldn't believe that they had come all the way just for me! Why would anybody?! I mean, it's just me! 

RP had travelled some 100+ kms, some 300 kms for AR, and even though MR was in the town, she had taken out of her work to plan this. They repeated it, in a non-chalant yet in an utmost caring way, to make me believe that whatever I was witnessing was actually happening... in this universe ... and it was not some crossover from a different universe where I can be made to feel so special. Till date, I wonder if it was just a beautiful summer fever dream.

We had lunch... together after a month. After lunch, they gave me the gift they got for me. I mean how much more could one expect... this already was far far off from any expectations I could possibly have. 

As I unwrapped the gift, I saw that it was something I had passingly mentioned months back, unintentionally. I wasn't even planning to purchase it myself. It was just mentioned in a breezy conversation and that too not explicitly. 

It was like somebody mentioning that they used to paint earlier and probably should give painting another chance, and you end up buying them a set of fine brushes and paints. Brushes and paints were never mentioned, it was just a casual conversation about painting. (It wasn't paints and brushes. That's an example to not reveal what the actual gift was.) They observed, remembered, and searched for it: exactly what I would love and use. 

Since it was a first for me, I didn't know how to express what I was feeling. And there was so much of it... the emotions. Such gesture was new... towards me. I never knew I was even eligible for such warmth. I kept wondering if it was right. 

When you put in effort for someone else, someone you care for, it doesn't even feel like an effort, but when you are the one receiving it, it means the world and more.

After talking for a bit, MR returned to her work, RP to her home, and AN stayed at my place (since returning the same day wasn't an option for her). She left the next day after breakfast. 

That was not the last time we met...the four of us together. It was once after that, the same year after a few months. Now, all of us are awaiting for our next meet up. It feels like a distant dream. But you know if something that wasn't even a dream (a non-dream, if you will) could come true, this surely will. 

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Gestures and Generosity

This is a story about a friend of mine. For convenience, let's address this friend as T. I would have kept this story to just myself. But I figured, we need to share certain things... even if it may look trivial.

I met T in the summer of 2019. I had decided to enroll for an additional course in an institute which was far far away from my place. Everyone who had enrolled for that course were staying in the same accommodation provided by the institute and hence many members would meet for meals together, by default. Because I had a different schedule and arrangement of my own, I wasn't able to meet the members as many times during the meals as I would have liked. However, on the first day of the session, when I did have breakfast with few of the members, I met T. I remember walking with T for some distance towards the classes and exchanging pleasantries.

But the few discussions that I had with T were memorable, interesting, and felt worthwhile.

From the very first interaction, I found T to be a very sincere and generous person... someone you could rely on. I remember T's gentle and sweet smile everytime we had a conversation. T, too, was a person of few words and thus we didn't have very elaborate or many conversations. But the few discussions that I had with T were memorable, interesting, and felt worthwhile.

Though I would like to refuse, my personality may seem a bit aloof sometimes to other people. And rarely anybody has that much time and patience to understand others these days. But T... T spoke with me. T's questions and interest about someone were marked with genuineness and it felt that T did care. And whatever little I got to know during my time in the institute, I knew how gentle and gracious T is.

T's questions and interest about someone were marked with genuineness and it felt that T did care.

After the sessions ended, we have stayed in touch. But the entire credit goes to T for this. T has always responded first. T would send me appreciation and feedback for my posts and poems. Though it might sound trivial, each feedback means a lot. Simple things like "I read your poems" matter and really do mean the world. It tells you that someone is listening to the words you have voiced through your writings.

T went to one of the book exhibitions.... and my book was there too. T not only searched for the stall where it was displayed, but also sent me photographs from the exhibition. It must have been difficult to find the stall because it was a big exhibition with hundreds of stalls... plus getting photos for me because I couldn't be there... I could not be more grateful. You could actually sense that sweetness in T's voice as T told me about the experience there. I couldn't believe how caring a person can be. And then today...

Though to others it may seem just sharing a photograph, but it is more than that.

Today, T sent me a photograph of a moon. That photograph had a note on it about the spots on the moon which were related to a poem I wrote months back. Someone had shared that photograph and T still remembered the discussion we had about the moon and fables related to it. Though to others it may seem just sharing a photograph, but it is more than that. That little note says a lot.. about the nice and considerate person T is... about the vastness of T's heart and greatness of T's character. It is not easy to be so mindful about others these days and we need to certainly celebrate moments and people like T. Though we do not talk too often, I always feel very inspired and positive whenever I talk with T... even if it's just a couple of words.

The number of words you speak do not matter.... as long as your thoughts are aligned the right way. I was deeply moved by T's gesture because of the thoughts that were put into it. I could not find the proper words that could convey my gratitude... but it surely did make that moment for me and I hope the thoughts were convened back to T. T, if you are reading this, please know that I am moved beyond words and I have always appreciated your gestures and generosity. Thank you for being a great friend 

You too might have someone like that in your life. Someone who always cheers you up, even if you do not communicate too often. Appreciate these small gestures in friendship. If you too have a friend like T, value them. Keep them in your thoughts always. And if you do not have someone like that, be a T to the people around you.

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Just For The Sake Of.....

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Adieu!

Adieu! This is really a very odd way to start something.....by bidding adieu......but yes.....this is my last post from this city! My training period is over and I am moving to a new city in a few days time. Today, I am leaving this city and am going to my hometown. In fact I have to catch a flight in a few hours, to be precise, I have to leave my accommodation in an hours time. So, this will be my last post from this location. So many memories to recollect and I have hardly any time to walk through the pages. But, once I find time, I surely will. Yesterday, I parted from many of my close friends and buddies but I will not use the word "parted". Its momentary. We will surely meet again. I have that belief. Buddies, until then I miss you a lot. Thanks for all the time that we have spent together, thanks for all the fun moments. 

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