The sun was about to set. The beauty of the rays reflected
in her eyes. Out in the distance, the clock chimed loudly bringing back
memories of a similar evening long gone by.
The boss had just screamed at her again. Thrown the papers
in her face in front of the whole office. A numb silence followed where
everything seemed to move in slow motion. Picking up the torn pieces of her
efforts, she walked slowly out of the office. A single tear rolled down her
cheek as she walked down the boulevard. People walked past her and cars zipped
by. Was this what she was meant for? Would she have to pay this price for
leaving behind everything she so dearly loved?
Surely this was not how it was supposed to end. What was it
that was stopping her from becoming who she was meant to?
The wind blew her hair across her face. The first leaf fell.
It signalled the arrival of autumn which also signalled the arrival of the most
awaited time of the year. The beauty, the fervour and the enthralling
fierceness flashed in front of her eyes. All in an instant it was clear to her
what was holding her back.
As she lifted her pen to sign her resignation, her eyes rose
up to see a fiery red streak in the sky. It was dawn. Out in the distance a
clock chimed loudly. All she could hear was a conch blow. Ma had arrived.
She smiled and looked at the sun reflecting in the holy
river. A conch blew in the distance as the scent of the incense wafted through
the air. She was back where she belonged.
Shubho Mahalaya.
