Seasons' Lessons

Seasons were changing without any notice and I was too busy to realize these changes. Winter was depressing while the summer was sultry. Then came the monsoon irritating not just me, but the whole Hyderabad. And autumn always gives the rest my tired body needs after all these season swings.

But today the weather is quite different. It has been like this since a week. Brumous in the mornings and breezy in the evenings. I have always been a fan of such revitalizing days. They bring out the best in me without many or any efforts. Today is one such day or rather one such evening or more precisely one such hour. From the time I started from my office through the journey to my home, I experienced the most calmest and relaxed period since a very long time.  

My office is located on a high-end area in the city. Five-storied, beige colored, equipped with centralized-AC  and tightly sealed off with mostly walls and here and there a few windows, creating a totally different and artificial environment. So, when in office I am not aware of either climactic changes or terrorist attacks going on outside. When I stepped out of the my office I was welcomed by dusky clouds and gentle winds. It was a potpourri of seasons served in the bowl called today.

I walked towards the road gelling with the nature's glee and dancing in the tune we created within minutes of our meeting. We have met earlier too, that happened quite often then, but now I am a grown up. Well, that's a whole different story. Then came this day when I felt like I am back into my past by a few years.

I felt a new energy flowing in my veins, I smiled at the security who ogles at me. Suddenly, everything settled in its own place, everything had a solution. I alone was enough to make things happen. I felt I could do many novels just this one evening, both reading and writing. My mind was running with ideas and thoughts unlimited. I found them hard to hold, difficult to note, but mandatory to quote.  

I suddenly remembered those days when I used to spend evenings alone on the terrace of my building, looking the sky change it colors, deciding which adjectives to use to describe them justifying exactly to its beauty. I dint know back then I had a flair for writing, but I did know that I love nature. The flair was discovered and developed, while my love was lost and forgotten. 

I was myself smiling at absolutely nothing and next second I notice I see others smiling at me too. Life reflects life. The rain washed away my tensions. The breeze swayed away my problems. The trees gave me the shade which none offered and the sky gave me the hope which the saints never preached.

There are lessons that mentors can't teach, problems that family can't solve, gaps that friends can't fill, situations that fate can't change, may be they are not even familiar with the existence of all these lessons, problems, gaps, situations. But only one supreme power is aware and has the might to do change them - You and You alone. 

Guess who??

It happened today for the first time that I had difficulty in identifying a person. My memory has always behaved very well with me. Seems even that too has failed me, hopefully just for this time. While travelling back home today in the bus, I saw an young man and immediately found him familiar. I did not spend much time studying his face, I simply averted my gaze as he noticed me checking him out. I can assure you it was not a dejavu feeling, but a true memory. I often face situations from which I only absorb the dejavu sense leaving the reality to others. But it is not the same this time.

So, after a little struggle with my memory and few more glances, I came to the conclusion that, if not with him I am at least familiar with his facial features. He is someone with whom I spent considerable part of my life not personally, but professionally. It is very clear that no emotions are attached, for emotions need not be searched; they are carefully hidden treasuries. I once again tried focusing on my virtual memory map, but soon realized that it was all a flash of images and within seconds I find myself looking at him trying to register his face into my confused mind. Remembering him took an eternity just like my journey on the roads of Hyderabad, jammed by traffic.

His thought reminded me of 3 things: Non-Telugite, sandalwood tilak on his forehead and husky voice. Keeping this information in my mind, I turn to take one last look at the guy before getting down at my stop. Oops, he was already gone.

The time I spent trying to remember him, has only weakened my confidence. I started writing this article on the day I saw him. I spent one complete week tracking him, with the only weapon I have, memory fossils. And one day I or frankly saying, my memory, did succeed. It had betrayed me only for 7 tiring days. That person in the bus appeared similar to a male nurse I met at a hospital or may be it was him. I had interacted regularly with him, during my stay at the hospital. This memory came back to me not like a boomerang but as a result of my long lull. With a smile of victory I walked my way off.

Few days later, I met a girl at an office. She stopped me and said a hi. I smiled recognizing my Intermediate friend and opened my mouth only to stammer s-s-s-...