Freedom

"God, please protect me, I beseech you. I am tired of this worldly existence. Call me to your side, to your services. I promise, I shall serve you as long as my soul exists. I beg you, don't place any obstacles in my path to heaven. Don't tie me down to this life, where everything is 'maya', an illusion. "

  Tears flowed down my cheeks as I offered my prayers before the silent deities. The smoke from the incense swirled around me like a protective cloud and mingled with the smell of freshly picked flowers.
  Suddenly, I felt the presence of the strange man. His eyes boring into my back. I stiffened on the prayer mat.
  "What are you looking at?", I said firmly, trying to conceal the ache in my voice.
  "Nothing, just looking at you.", he said.
  "Don't.", I said, even more firmly but he did not move.
  I rose slowly from the ground and flung my wet hair over my shoulder. I did not dare to lift my gaze from the floor and meet his eyes. I walked up to the door where he stood.
  "Let me pass", I said, still gazing at the floor.
  "Why do you want to give me freedom, so soon?", he asked.
  "I am no one to hold you back. You are free, you always were.", I said, cringing as I felt the intensity of his gaze on me.
   "But I don't want freedom.", he argued.
   This time I lifted my eyes and met his, fearlessly. "But I do.", I said before I walked away, leaving him dumbfounded.
  
 

One Night

  "Why are we here?", asked the strange man.
  "We are here to further God's work", I replied. "God created us in his own image. Love yourself, only then can you love God because God lives within you".
   His distant eyes sought the horizon, lost in thought. The sky was ablaze with millions of stars and the full moon made everything around us twinkle. The black river seemed to be strewn with innumerable pearls as if Sita had torn her necklace and cast it into the waters before being harshly carried away by Ravan. The howling wind seemed to carry with it, her desperate cries for help.
   "Do you believe in destiny?", he asked.
   "Yes, of course. This very moment is written in both our destinies."
   "Why don't you love me?", he asked as he turned to face me.
   I had no answer. I only prayed silently that the answer would come to us both.
   "Why do you suffer like this?", I asked. "Set yourself free, cut the invisible cords which connect you to me. Your soul cries for freedom".
   "Walk with me," he pleaded. "No one shall care for you as much as I shall."
   "I do not need caring for, God shall take care of me."
   "How long can you live like this? Watching people from above? One day you will have to fall to the ground, what then?"
    "That will be decided by destiny."
    He sat silently for a moment before he politely took his leave. I smiled to myself and lay down beneath the sky. The light of the stars began to blur and merge into one as my eyes closed and I drifted off to a peaceful slumber.
   

Penance

 I was walking down life's lonely road, when I met a strange man. He asked me for directions and went his way. Of course, I didn't know the directions to his destination; but I helped him the best I could. A few days later, I met him again, in one of life's by-lanes. I smiled, I said hello but little did I know...
  I cannot say that I hadn't guessed it. It was obvious from the way he looked at me. His thirsty eyes seemed to drink off my very presence. I was pleased to know that he had a strong liking towards me but alas, I felt no stir of passion, no pangs of fiery love.
  Days passed, words grew fewer even though our paths crossed often. I knew, that he had abandoned his road in order to watch me walk down mine. He watched with starved, hungry eyes as I hurried by. Soon he lost track of his destination and began to go around in circles.
  Many-a-times, when I have taken shelter for the night, I have gazed upon the stars and wondered what is this invisible string of pain that attaches that strange man to me? What is it that he seeks? I never could find an answer. I learned soon, that there were many thing on heaven and earth that were beyond my understanding.
  Many-a-times, he would disappear for days, trying to find his path again. But, soon he would return on his knees, begging me to walk with him, to love him. He could not understand why it was impossible for me to do so and he would die everyday.
  After a while, he was reduced to a mere shadow. When I saw him, I was filled with remorse. How could my mere presence cause him so much pain? Often, I would try to explain to him that he should move on but his vacant eyes would remain unchanging.
  What he doesn't know is that our paths are different, so are our destination. That is why, we can never walk together. He is headed towards life itself and I...I am trying to find a way out of this maze, a way to free my soul.

  She was at the edge, the edge of the sharp cliff jutting into the raging dark sea. The fierce, howling wind almost dragged her listless body mercilessly to the steep drop below. Her bare feet slipped on the moist rocks as she struggled to keep herself erect. Blinded by tears, she scrambled desperately to avoid the fall. Her cries were inaudible to the deafening roar of the sea and its monstrous waves crashed violently in to the jagged rocks. "Dear God", she cried, "dear God!".

  The overcast sky with its swirling black clouds was like the mouth of hell itself, sucking all the light out of the earth. They thundered so loudly that it seemed as if the Gods were at war and the blinding steaks of lightning were the terrifying clash of their weapons. The ground beneath her feet seemed to tremble in mortal fear.
 
  She pressed her hands to her ears with all her might, her body shook in an almost surreal way, her heart thumped harshly beneath her chest. Suddenly, the sky burst forth a heavy shower of rain. It pierced her skin like a thousand sharp needles. The water was cold as death and she knew no more.

   When she awoke it was mid morning. The sun blinded her for an instant. She lifted herself up with much difficulty. The blue sky greeted her warmly, the birds flew in merry circles over the peaks and the stunted trees looked beautifully green. She walked over to the edge of the cliff and stared in wonder. The water was clear blue and the foamy white waves caressed the jagged rocks. The sea rumbled softly, almost like a monotone.

   She was sure that God himself had rescued her from the mouth of hell and brought her to heaven.

Dear Traitor

Dear Traitor,

                                Let me get straight to the point. I know who my real friends are now. I am happy and I feel nothing for you. Yes, initially I felt really bad and unsure of myself but now I have left you behind, I have moved on.

                                You impressed upon me that true friends do not exist. Well, you were wrong! They exist in my life. They are there for me no matter what, no matter where they are, how far they are from me. Look at you, on the other hand, so close yet so self -centered. My true friends and I have very good times together and these difficult years have shown me who they really are. It’s your loss, dear Traitor.

                                What is worse is that you slowly got me to believe in you and then withdrew when I least expected it. That is cold! Well, as far as I remember you are cold and heartless and always were.                 

                                So, I will end this worthless letter by saying that my true friends will always be there for me, whether it is on chat line or it is on the other end of the phone. For you, the phone will keep on ringing because you won’t even care to find out whether I am in trouble or not. You will be buried too deep in your own sorry, selfish world where no one exists but you.

                                Someone along the way will do the same to you, Traitor and you will be forced to care. The best part is that no matter how much you think that we can survive alone, we can’t. Human beings need other human beings to remain sane. I hope your sorry ass finds this letter. Oh wait, you are too preoccupied to contact me, never too preoccupied to contact others. Well, I guess you think I am a fool who doesn’t know. Come to your selfish senses, I know!

                                                                         Your blindly believing enemy.

Sea..

              I was lying on the soft wet sand at the edge of the sea. The scorching midday sun beat down on me.The cool waves gently kissed me bringing moments of sweet relief. I could hear the loud shrieks of the seagulls but could not open my eyes to see them gliding across the sky, trying to eclipse the fiery sun with their wings. Their cries seemed distant as the sea groaned in pain and thrashed against the rocks.
              Waves rippled along my body as the sand slid below me and drew me closer. Before me, there was endless blue and foaming white expanse of thrilling unknown waters; behind me, miles of unexplored hot sand. I had surrendered to the thrill of nature and my heart was racing.
               I was in a trance. The sea roared deeply as a gigantic wave crashed upon me and carried me within. I was thrown into a violent battle with the tides. As I struggled and gasped, a cool rush of water swept over me and all unrest ceased. I drifted down below. That's when I opened my eyes and saw the most spectacular secret world beneath. I could only pray in awe.
               But the sea always returns what it takes and I was soon thrown back onto the sandy ground. As I struggled in the harsh sunlight, I didn't belong to this world anymore. I had seen creation.