Sunday, May 4, 2014

Thank you for a Marvellous 20

A rather reticent young man met a very charming vivacious young lady. They first met at a restaurant over orange juice, and then they continued the conversation sitting on the steps leading to an old water well in her garden. He sat tongue tied as usual – while this beautiful young lady kept on chattering excitedly.  Being more comfortable in the company of books and music, he wondered with astonishment how someone could chatter so much and yet make sense.

Every now and then she will stop and ask him “so what are you thinking?”.  He badly wanted to make an impression on her, and express all the emotions that was flooding within him.   But all he could muster – much to her amusement – was that “my mind is blank”.  

In the 20 years since then, this lady has been more than just an interesting conversationalist and an exceptional loving person.  She also put up with his eccentricities - whether it is his peculiar food tastes (he finally has a paunch to prove it), or his vagabond "here today, there tomorrow" nature. 

Vandana, thank you for formally letting me into your life 20 years ago. You have been my pillar and inspiration these past 20 years - and I consider myself exceptionally lucky.