At the Station - I Met Life
A short story of a girl whose wait for her train, and her conversation with a stranger, showed her the way to her life...read on
The farewell party my colleagues at work gave me just extended a rather too long than what I had expected. When I looked at the time, to my horror .My train to Bangalore was to leave in half an hours time. I picked my luggage and rushed to the station. Carrying the heavy bags on both my shoulder and walking past the maddening crowd was in itself an exercise.
When I reached the platform, it was all so silent, and the train wasn’t there.
"God!!! How could I miss the train" I said
Then a voice at the PA system announced
The train 2341 to Bangalore is running an hour late due to technical snag. we apologize for the delay
I smiled. I took a cup of coffee and sat at the nearly clean chair.
Sipping the coffee I took my book out of my purse and started reading. "The Alchemist" by PAULO COELHO. The story of a man who follows his dreams and eventually realizes them.
"Oh that’s a wonderful Book you are reading" came in a woman’s voice.
I turned around to see who it was, A lady in her sixties dressed elegantly in white salwar suit sitting on the chair next to mine, I hadn’t realized when she had come and sat by.
"Yes it is, one of my favorites" I said
"You going to Bangalore Too" I asked
"Yes, you going there for work?" she said arranging her bag by her side
"No, For marriage"
"Family wedding"
"No, it’s my wedding, My family stays there"
"Congratulations" she said smiling
"Thank you, I was working here as a designer, and going back now"
"That’s nice" she said sipping water
"So you would continue working"
"Well no .My fiancée doesn’t appreciate my Designing work and wants me to raise his family and that’s what my father also wants. He had agreed after my repeated request to complete my designing course and send me here to work for this Company only on this condition that I get married where he wants after I finish this assignment"
"Ok An arranged match, SO you agreed"
"Well yes "I said closing the book in my hand
"What after marriage" she asked
"I don’t know" I really didn’t know
"Sounds nice .Isn’t It?" saying sarcastically now
"Nice or not. I dunno. But that’s how Dad wants it "
"And how do u want it" she said
"what ???"
"You heard me, Look at 40 years from now. You are a wife, a mother. And everyday you start trying to improve, Trying that you can be so perfect. Trying to make everyone happy. But when you walk past a mirror. Stop for once. You will find someone standing there Looking back at you, and saying you "You forgot me""
I dint get her
"Can you guess my age?"
"Hmmm …63 "I replied
"You are near. Am 65.But I can only say I have only lived for 47 years. The first 18 was not my life" she continued" my life was worser than yours. Born in a staunch Brahmin family .I knew my love for dance was inseparable. My parents even though aware of it, would never raise the topic before me. I would practice dancing at my friends place. Participate in Community shows. In one of this shows that Pt. Ramji spotted me. He offered me a place in his troupe, where I could learn and perform. He even spoke to my Dad. But he was only humiliated in return. Before leaving he saw me standing by the door with tears in my eyes he just said one line "You have wings, use them to fly, Fly to lead and not to be led ".
That very moment I got my call. I left home and joined Panditji. Slowly my work was appreciated and I slowly fame and success came my way. I married the man who respected me and my work. I won’t say things are easy. But my believe was just too strong"
I just thought "I can’t let her influence me"
"But I Love my father" I said
"So if you marry where he wants, Is just your own way of showing that you love him is it?’
"No"
"Love is a bond to be felt, understood. If you Love someone, and its true .You don’t have to show it, cause you know about its existence and you God knows about it. Let it stay till there."
"But I don’t know what to do, My family is on one side and my dreams are on one side"
"How many times have you read this" she said taking the ‘ALCHEMIST’ from my hand
"5 times" I said with pride
"5 times you read it, but you dint understand what the author wants to convey once"
Soon we were interrupted by the PA system again
The train 2341 to Bangalore is arriving on Platform no2 .It would only stop for ten mins
"Well our train is coming" she said assembling her bag
I could see the train slowly approaching, it sure knew its destination. Suddenly there was movement around. As if everyone had just woke up from a sleep. I did wake up too.
As the train halted. The lady held her airbag and moved to the compartment in front.
"Get up" She said from there
I got up, took my luggage, this time it dint feel heavy. I turned around and started walking.
"Hey !!! You going the wrong way" she said ,
I turned and stopped
"No actually, this time I am going my own way .Thank you so much and have a wonderful journey" I said smiling to her
I could see her smile back radiantly.
My mobile rang. It was my Dad calling. I disconnected and moved out of the platform, holding firmly on to my book and my dreams.
When I reached the platform, it was all so silent, and the train wasn’t there.
"God!!! How could I miss the train" I said
Then a voice at the PA system announced
The train 2341 to Bangalore is running an hour late due to technical snag. we apologize for the delay
I smiled. I took a cup of coffee and sat at the nearly clean chair.
Sipping the coffee I took my book out of my purse and started reading. "The Alchemist" by PAULO COELHO. The story of a man who follows his dreams and eventually realizes them.
"Oh that’s a wonderful Book you are reading" came in a woman’s voice.
I turned around to see who it was, A lady in her sixties dressed elegantly in white salwar suit sitting on the chair next to mine, I hadn’t realized when she had come and sat by.
"Yes it is, one of my favorites" I said
"You going to Bangalore Too" I asked
"Yes, you going there for work?" she said arranging her bag by her side
"No, For marriage"
"Family wedding"
"No, it’s my wedding, My family stays there"
"Congratulations" she said smiling
"Thank you, I was working here as a designer, and going back now"
"That’s nice" she said sipping water
"So you would continue working"
"Well no .My fiancée doesn’t appreciate my Designing work and wants me to raise his family and that’s what my father also wants. He had agreed after my repeated request to complete my designing course and send me here to work for this Company only on this condition that I get married where he wants after I finish this assignment"
"Ok An arranged match, SO you agreed"
"Well yes "I said closing the book in my hand
"What after marriage" she asked
"I don’t know" I really didn’t know
"Sounds nice .Isn’t It?" saying sarcastically now
"Nice or not. I dunno. But that’s how Dad wants it "
"And how do u want it" she said
"what ???"
"You heard me, Look at 40 years from now. You are a wife, a mother. And everyday you start trying to improve, Trying that you can be so perfect. Trying to make everyone happy. But when you walk past a mirror. Stop for once. You will find someone standing there Looking back at you, and saying you "You forgot me""
I dint get her
"Can you guess my age?"
"Hmmm …63 "I replied
"You are near. Am 65.But I can only say I have only lived for 47 years. The first 18 was not my life" she continued" my life was worser than yours. Born in a staunch Brahmin family .I knew my love for dance was inseparable. My parents even though aware of it, would never raise the topic before me. I would practice dancing at my friends place. Participate in Community shows. In one of this shows that Pt. Ramji spotted me. He offered me a place in his troupe, where I could learn and perform. He even spoke to my Dad. But he was only humiliated in return. Before leaving he saw me standing by the door with tears in my eyes he just said one line "You have wings, use them to fly, Fly to lead and not to be led ".
That very moment I got my call. I left home and joined Panditji. Slowly my work was appreciated and I slowly fame and success came my way. I married the man who respected me and my work. I won’t say things are easy. But my believe was just too strong"
I just thought "I can’t let her influence me"
"But I Love my father" I said
"So if you marry where he wants, Is just your own way of showing that you love him is it?’
"No"
"Love is a bond to be felt, understood. If you Love someone, and its true .You don’t have to show it, cause you know about its existence and you God knows about it. Let it stay till there."
"But I don’t know what to do, My family is on one side and my dreams are on one side"
"How many times have you read this" she said taking the ‘ALCHEMIST’ from my hand
"5 times" I said with pride
"5 times you read it, but you dint understand what the author wants to convey once"
Soon we were interrupted by the PA system again
The train 2341 to Bangalore is arriving on Platform no2 .It would only stop for ten mins
"Well our train is coming" she said assembling her bag
I could see the train slowly approaching, it sure knew its destination. Suddenly there was movement around. As if everyone had just woke up from a sleep. I did wake up too.
As the train halted. The lady held her airbag and moved to the compartment in front.
"Get up" She said from there
I got up, took my luggage, this time it dint feel heavy. I turned around and started walking.
"Hey !!! You going the wrong way" she said ,
I turned and stopped
"No actually, this time I am going my own way .Thank you so much and have a wonderful journey" I said smiling to her
I could see her smile back radiantly.
My mobile rang. It was my Dad calling. I disconnected and moved out of the platform, holding firmly on to my book and my dreams.
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