Life is long and funny. Things have a way of working themselves out at their required time, and in a way thats deserved by everyone. Just when we think we understand enough about life, it will spring a surprise and we are forced to rethink everything we know. The universal truth however remains; that success, failure, happiness, sadness; everything must be taken with a grain of salt, because like everything else, this too shall pass.
I was a big Alif-Laila (Alladin) fan. I never missed the show. I imitated him with my gang of friends. We all gathered during Ramzan evenings and discussed, “If I call Alladin with his Chirag (Candle), will he come?. We all use to shout Alladin loudly. The only thing that got back to us was an echo of our own voices. In despair, we’d say “what the hell” in unison and try to talk and act like him.
What we got in return was the giggle and frown from those bhaiyas who were 5 times older than us. I realised, they did not laugh at our imitation but the sound we made in unison. Eid arrived; my father took me and my brother for the measurements to the tailor uncle. I was happy. But, happiness did not last for too long when a friend of mine chuckled in joy and said “I bought a Alladin costume for Eid”. I was sad, I asked my mother and the reply I got, “Go, ask your father.” I did not have enough courage then to ask my father the same as I was aware about the economic mess and the poor job of baba. I never asked. But, when I went to Eidgah and I saw my friend wearing the same, he looked stupid in the crowd of thousands of people wearing a kurta. I was happy and perhaps he was not. That morning, I broke up with the Alladin obsession as well.
At this point of time, when I’ve moved to a different city chasing my dreams down earned fame, money and everything I could imagine, it seems a little success is mine, but happiness is not. Because I am living miles away from my parents and my dear ones. After all a house is different from home. Life has taught me that. All the people I walked away from, all the friendships that I threw away, it’s all coming back to haunt me. Maybe to just let me know, that breaking hearts and the bad experience with life is unforgivable.
To the person, oh yes! that rich one, your memory lies in the books on my shelves and the oversize T-shirts that I still lie in. Your words echo back at the oddest hours with your smile that always looked like it was meant for another world. You remind me of the smell of growth. Yes, I still love you more than you know but I’m not brave enough to get back with you. Love is a part of life but it’s not everything. Set your goals straight, you have your family to take care of. As love is a part of life, moving on is also a part of life.
Regret but do not repent.
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