Life always finds You… finds ways to leave you speechless and dumbfounded. I’ll try and give the What and How a shot though.
I’m on my way back to “my India” from Brisbane, Australia on Cathaypacific flight CX 102, seat 59G; as I sit here, my heart, despite much cajoling, is making this droopy face for reasons best known to the world inside it. I wanted a breather, to get away from Home and I got just that. I spent 45 beautiful days in the Sunshine State with my sister and her family. Above and beyond everything else, I came here to find my heart’s domain. But partings are hard and they always make you think if you could have taken any other route to avoid ‘em. But, then, that’s the way Life works. Just when you start wondering if the road you undertook was worth the effort, the Almighty God gives you something to believe in, to restore your faith in his prowess and genius… an experience that not only gratifies your soul, but changes you in ways you never thought plausible.
I met the Laughing Buddha today. And he charmed his way into my heart. And the snapshot would stay lucid clear for as long as I shall live. What, you don’t believe me ? Can’t blame you, Can I ? Let me open some doors for you. An 80 year old man with the laugh of an 8 year old child. I was drowning in my reverie when I heard a singsong of a laugh – fresh, vivacious and fearless. I looked to my Left and saw Him.. the radiance of the halo around his visage left me enchanted; one look at him and I was caught.. and bowled. An octogenarian traveling on his own, watching a crappy newage sitcom and in absolute splits over its slapstick gags. It was as if he was giving us all a lesson in contentment. His eyes were blue and watery, peaceful and warm, all at the same time. His reflexes were calm and unhurried, in full acceptance of his age and experience. While we fulfilled the mere formality of putting something in our mouths, just to keep the screeching voices of our restless souls down, he relished his food, each grain of it, as if the Almighty himself had prepared the meal for him with his special spices. And while I fidgeted, trying to put my frenzied mind to rest, he just brought his eyelids together, letting sleep brisk in. Was the Almighty singing a lullaby for him and him alone ? Senior citizens and unfair privileges … Huh !
Realizing that I was staring at him for more seconds than permissible, I drifted my gaze and let it settle on a couple sitting to my Right… the man – all 6 feet 3 inches of him, overtly handsome, broad shouldered and sturdy, receding white hair covered with a baseball cap, french moustache and gold rimmed glasses, and the lady- her golden hair tied in a ponytail, cool white t-shirt and blue jeans, doing her Sudoku, with a school girl glint in her eyes. Considering that they were in their late 50s or early 60s, they looked simply amazing – individually and together as man and wife… reading each others silences, giving each other space, smiling at little things which they perhaps couldn’t find the time for in their youth haste. Was I in a plane or what ? For a milisecond, I thought I’d died and gone straight to heaven where everybody around me was sipping on the nectar of bliss and peace. I closed my eyes and let it all seep in, hoping that my soul was pervious enough to take every bit of it in. I could
feel my droopy faced heart suddenly spring back to life, all smiling and winking, with its tongue sticking out. 
And then came the clincher, to top off things in perfect fashion, just like a full moon rounds off a half day. Game Set Match, the denouement, that kinda thing. “Ma’m, would you like some juice or soft drink?” The voice was dripping with honey and as I opened my eyes, the face of that voice was nothing short of exquisite too, the best part about it being that million dollar smile which lit up his eyes. How many are blessed with that, after all ! Pop, goes my heart. Right in front of me (the language of Mathematics calls it “Center”, “er” or “re”, who cares) was this man, this boy, this heavenly creature, one of those on whom God decides to spend a little more time, naively forgetting the repercussions “these beings” have on utterly “normal” folks like me. Speaking of TIME, Goodness Gracious Me! How long had I been staring at him ! I started looking for something in my bag, my voice, perhaps. Having made a complete fool of myself, I regained my usually stringent senses and with a poker straight face, settled for a coke. He smiled and my defenses went mild. His name – Bernard (Shaw) and I, his Patricia Campbell. Holy Cow! I was literally melting in my shoes. To save face, I averted my gaze and looked at the Laughing Buddha; he shot a glance of approval as if to say. “You go, girl!.” I looked at the Golden Couple and they were quietly sipping on their beer as if raising a toast to my newfound eccentricity. Divine Conspiracy! But I wasn’t complaining… Was I ? I buckled up and let the magic begin. I had 8 hours and 52 odd minutes on my hands to appreciate and devour the beauty of it all.. to draw a bubble around my soul, and save This picture on the desktop of my life for forever and more.