Lost and Found...

It was a cool summer evening and Radhika was leaning out from her balcony looking down.

There were young children playing in the park. She stood there looking at them and thinking in retrospect how stress-free life was as a child. Their giggles were stirring up the emptiness she was feeling within. She wondered how easy was joy and laughter and yet she could not find joy for herself.

Radhika had been a very lively kid, the leader of her group of friends. Her days as a child started with her mother waking her up for school as she threw all her qualms to bargain missing school out for yet another day. None the less, she ended up going to school but that never deterred her undying love for a holiday and she tried all the tantrums each and every day. At school Radhika was a studious, naughty and talkative child. After coming she would finish all her homework and rush out to play with her friends.

At school, home and in the playground she had always been a very energetic and radiant person. Looking back today she was wondering where did she loose herself in this process of gaining maturity.

She had moved to her apartment in this busy big city from her cozy home in Dehradun for the sake of a great job opportunity. But after moving here she had got so caught up in looking up and adjusting to the demands of this new life that she could barely find the peace and calm that once prevailed inside of her. She had spent a lot of time and energy over trying to stretch herself all over so she could be like all of those she was seeing around herself. Somewhere under the veil of the new life that she was experiencing  in the city she had been missing perhaps a piece of her own self which she could no more get in touch with again.

*Doorbell rings*

Radhika was too absorbed in her thoughts to notice the doorbell ringing.

*Doorbell rings again*

This time the sound of the doorbell broke her chain of thoughts. Radhika wondered who would be there and started walking towards the door.

She wasn't expecting anyone and not many people would drop-in as most of their weekend get together would be scheduled at some cafe or a mall.

As she answered the door Radhika saw her childhood friend Jasmin on the door gleaming with joy and a hint of pride on being able to deliver her best friend her birthday surprise.

Radhika's birthday fell tomorrow and Jasmin had come over to surprise her on her birthday.

Seeing Jasmin on the door Radhika fell short of words, her heart pounded with joy and her eyes spread wide open as if to absorb more out of the moment. Radhika opened the door and hugged Jasmin with a shriek of joy.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Asked Radhika

"I'm here for your birthday and moreover this was going to be your birthday surprise."

"My God! I can't still believe my eyes." Radhika moved over to deliver another hug to Jasmin.

"So.. How are you and how is this place treating you? You know I miss you back home."

Jasmin was still living in Dehradun and had started her own 'Cafe in the Hills'

Radhika offered her juice from the fridge and began preparing coffee for Jasmin. Jasmin in the meanwhile came over to sit on the kitchen shelf besides Radhika.

"The city is good, a little fast paced. The job is taking up most of my time, I hardly have anything left to myself."

"Hmm.. " Jasmin nodded munching on a cookie she picked up out of the jar placed nearby.

Radhika continued "But I miss you a lot and I miss everything about Dehradun"

The coffee was ready. Radhika poured it into two mugs and they moved to the living area to do all the catching up on each others life.

The moment Jasmin had landed Radhika forgot all about her woes and was so happy in the moment. Next day she called in her office to put up for a 3 day leave. This was the first time she was availing leave for recreation since she had started this job.

The days with Jasmin flew past in a jiffy.

Radhika had realized one thing for sure. Jasmin's visit had filled the void Radhika had been experiencing in herself. Jasmin had made her to come in touch with her real self once again. There was no pretension, no pressure to be liked, no falsehood. Radika had been just the way she actually was and had always been.

In our lives we sometimes try so hard to be popular or liked by all that we end up modifying our real self to match up to the demands of the society. The society has been and will always be ever-changing. In this mad race we often end up ignoring and over run the most important person who must approve of us... that is our own self. The world may be pleased with us but if we are not in sync with our inner self happiness would not find it's way towards us. On the other hand, ones who are truly happy and content with their heart and soul become a source of joy for themselves and those around them.

So, drop all your pretensions and inhibitions and spread happiness, that's what our world needs the most.



**All the names, situations and encounters mentioned are fictitious. Any resemblance to people and events is purely coincidental. It is not directed to hurt any sentiments.**