ARAINA- Part (v)

(ARAINA is a new series I have come up with. Do share your views as to how you feel about Araina. Happy reading)

Link to Part (iv)

Toby lit another cigarette. He was lost in memories of their Jim Corbett trip. “Do you believe in God?” Araina asked Toby. “Umm! I don’t know. But I do believe in power. One supreme power,” Toby replied coming out his thoughts. “You know, my spiritual journey started way back before when my dad taught me meditation and my mother learnt reiki,” Araina said. She continued, “I do believe in power, as you said. However, I still could not fully understand the concept of reincarnation or karma. When I was in hospital and going through all the pain, I asked myself whether all that pain was result of my past deeds. Had I done wrong to anyone. And I didn’t agree to that. Karma is still a concept beyond my understanding. I feel it is a human made concept to create fear to avoid people to indulge in bad deeds. And anyways who define what is good or bad.”  “I understand,” Toby said and added, “But even if you know about karma, you could do nothing about it. You have told me before that whatever you do, you do for your own happiness, and if for that happiness you are not harming anyone else, then you always go for it. When I am in confusion, I always think about this saying, and if my action passes this test I do it.” “Well! I take it as a compliment. You never told me before that you follow my sayings,” and Araina laughed while saying this. Toby became little embarrassed and passed a bashful smile.    

 

Araina continued, “I sometimes wonder what is death. Death, it is not for someone who has died, it is for us who are still alive. When someone whom we love dies, for a moment life seems futile. Question arises as to why we are living if ultimately, we have to die. Our ego crashes at that moment. Do you remember ‘After Life’, the series we had watched?” Araina asked Toby and Toby nodded his head. “There was one beautiful line in After Life which has stuck with me since then- Life is precious because you can’t watch it again. I mean, you can believe in an afterlife if that makes you feel better. Doesn’t mean it’s true. But once you realize you’re not going to be around forever, I think that’s what makes life so magical. One day you’ll eat your last meal, smell your last flower, hug your friend for the very last time. You might not know it’s the last time, so that’s why you should do everything you love with passion, you know? Treasure the few years you’ve got because that’s all there is. For me Toby, the best part about living is we know that this is all we have and this is going to end.”

 

“Can I take a picture of you?” Evak asked with camera in his hand. “O! Yes, sure Chaitanya,” Araina replied while winking and posing. “Stop calling me with that name here. You know my name here is Evak,” Evak said and clicked a picture of Araina and Toby.

to be continued...