Life is a book. No one knows what is written on the next page. No one knows what will happen in our life a minute or a second from now. We probably do not expect as much from life as our parents do for us.
When I was still in 12th grade, our village school only went up to 5th standard, so we had to go to another village to study. There was no special arrangement for school buses. Our village had only one bus, which went to the city. We also used to go to school on that bus. Some students from classes above 12th also went to the city. The time for going to school in the morning and the time for returning was almost the same.
Our daily routine was almost the same. When I got on the bus, a girl’s eyes would always fix on me. For a few days, I thought it was just my imagination. But it became an everyday thing. Yet, she never said anything to me. She was a girl from our own village.
She was doing a computer course in the city. She might have been a year or two older than me. I found her a bit odd. I never looked at her with any special interest. But she would keep looking at me. Her house was on the other side of the village, and mine was on the opposite side. Once or twice, she came to our house. Maybe she wanted to say something, but she never did. The year passed like this. My 12th grade ended, and I also got admission to a college in the city. I thought that by now she might have forgotten me. But no. When, after a long time, I went to the bus stop to go to college, she was already standing there. Other passengers were also waiting for the bus. I stood on the other side, but her eyes were still fixed on me. This went on every day. I had no feelings for her. I don’t know what she felt. We never talked to each other, nor did I ever think anything special about her. This went on, and the year was almost over. But she still kept looking at me. I also found it a bit odd. One day, when she was sitting in the bus, and there was still time before it left, I saw an opportunity and talked to her. She was about to say something, but before she could, I stopped her and told her, “We are from the same village; we can’t think anything bad about each other.” After saying this, I got off the bus.
Then I never paid attention to her again. The exams had also started, so I only went on exam days. But she still tried to look for me in the bus. The next year, I took admission but never went to college. I got busy with farming work. Many months passed, and I never saw her again.
Then one day my friend called and told me that the girl had gotten married. Her family had agreed. My friend told me that the boy was her classmate and they had known each other for the last six months. Both families had agreed. The rest is her life. She must have thought it was good. After saying this, I hung up.
A lot of time had passed since that incident. One day, while returning from the city, someone suddenly called my name. I immediately stopped. When I turned around, I saw that girl coming towards me. Seeing her right in front of me, I was surprised. Then she said, if you are going to the village, take me along too. I nodded. On the way, I started some conversation and found out that her husband had gone abroad. Now her mother-in-law and other family members were at home. She said that she was also supposed to go, but her visa hadn’t come yet. At first, her mother-in-law lived with her very lovingly, but now they had started to fight. That’s why, until the visa comes, she would stay at her parents’ house.
Today was the first time we talked so much. While talking, we reached the village, and I dropped her at her house and went to my own home. Even then, she would sometimes come home, but now she considered it just a village relationship.
Last month, when she came home, she seemed very happy. From the conversation, I found out and she told me that the next day she was also going abroad; her visa had come. She seemed very happy.
I laughed and said, “Who gave you the visa? You still look like a kid.” She also laughed.
Time passed just like this, and we didn’t even notice when it went by.
Life is a book. We have no idea what is written on the next page or what the next word will be. But in our youth, we sometimes make decisions whose consequences we realize only later.
The heart always makes decisions that have a big impact on our lives. Sometimes we have to listen to our mind instead of our heart, because one wrong decision can destroy a lot.
Love is not always a game of bodies. It is a meeting of souls.
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