A feeling of merry away from the glittering lights and loud music among laughters of little girls and their basking fire on the Christmas night!!!

 

I was happy to get my holidays for Christmas. The dark yet starry night with the crescent moon let my soul to go on a drive. I didn’t intend it to be a long one but I just wanted to go on, listening to my heart. The city was clad in colourful lights and sounds of happiness were heard. I went on, unlike my regular closed window drive, this night compelled me to keep my windows open, feeling the air; the air, that touched the salty cheeks of tears of happiness, that touched the breathe of satisfaction of a father and that touched the sweaty face of the mother, who cooked delicious food for the entire house, I went on, getting swayed by the feelings of the world and the surrounding of mine.

I never knew, my normal drive had been a long drive by now. I stopped near a little boy selling balloons and I bought his entire lot paying some bonus to him for the Christmas day, his smile was making me happy all the time. Another girl came to me with her roses and I bought them but I didn’t know for whom I bought it all! I went to the shop by the road side, bought some chocolates and toffees and put them in my car. I drove, thought of going near the beach, but then seeing the crowd, I changed my way. I wanted to feel the joy of people in silence. I went and went, then the light of basking fire of a home attracted my sight. I remained far behind to observe the people there, when everyone was enjoying the cold winter with their warm clothes they were enjoying their moment in front of that fire. They were laughing and singing and playing with each other. The games showed their celebration. But I noticed that for one thing all of them were fighting with each other though in love. I got curious. I was thinking of going near them when I thought of gifting all the chocolates and balloons to them. I went there to be a part of their lives.

They were initially not accepting my presents as I was a stranger; but then I just said that I want to be a part of you all and bask fire near you.

They agreed to share their privacy with me. I didn’t feel good to disturb their private life but couldn’t rein my anxiety as well.

I just asked them pointing to that piece of paper as to what is in there. The youngest of them told instantly, “Oh; that! That’s a letter from our father.” Her words attracted immediate attention from the entire household, as if they wanted to keep it a secret but as it was open now I thought of raising my curiosity again. That answer increased my curiosity even more and I asked, “A letter to home even today!” Doesn’t he call? And it’s a holiday today. They were all feeling shy to answer my questions. I was just looking at them with all my innocuous looks filled with anxiety. To which, they looked at me and feeling the vibe, the eldest one now answered, “My husband works in the army near border. He doesn’t have good connection there for phone calls. So, he used to write us letters on every occasion. After this continuous firing from Pakistan, it has been difficult to get a leave for him. We used to celebrate with his letters and he mentions about everyone in the letter.” I was listening to her when I realized that my mouth was completely open with astonishment and I couldn’t blink. I offered them all that I had and wished them a “Merry Christmas”. They offered me to have dinner with them but I just said that I have a meeting and I left.

I went back to my car to attend my meeting, meeting with myself. I went to the beach; it was empty by then. Sitting on the sand I just was thinking of time, how it flies and how it takes everything with it. The father must have went there leaving his daughter in early adulthood and when he will be back he will see them young, beautiful young ladies at his home. He attended their birth ceremonies or not and one day he will see them marrying. He will feel the emotions of losing a chance, for he will miss the childhood naughtiness and the adulthood ignorance of his children. He will miss seeing them, he might even see their babies or mightn’t. These people at his family used to see him off and they mightn’t even think of not seeing them. It might happen in the course of time that he will not return as in the humanly body form but just a presence. His body might not even return; nobody knows the harshness of a war.

Time flows and it will always keep on flowing and it will take all the moments along with it. The days will soon be over, they will have their weddings.

But what about the moments that time will take along with it. Uncertainty and destiny play their role in increasing the obsession of the people. The obsession, that leads to the charm of living and offers the curiosity to explore life. We expect for the good to happen and sometimes we don’t even get time to think of the future, we just remain busy in experiencing the present and living it and collecting the moments of our life. But one day, when that proud wife of the shoulder will be alone, after marrying off all her girls, what will she do and think!

Those people, they have nothing as a luxury but wood for the basking of fire and a letter; yet they are happy and they are living their life lively. Life is in the small moments and they understand that. Instead of creating moments they collect them; they don’t attempt to take selfies but they capture the entire story in their heart; for their relation they don’t need a reference to recollect memoirs but it will always be with them in every stance of life. The moon was growing over my head and as if peeping at me straight in my eyes and I then again looked at the waves; the troughs and crests of the waves and thought about the ups and downs in emotions, in relationships and in life!!!

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