I was invited to the lunch by one of my friend, for I didn't seen him 5 years. Formerly, while studying in plus 2 me and him were most intimate friends and we used to spend long quite happy time together. He had passion for Literature, sometimes in between studies he used recite poems and stories. His parents wanted him to study in IIT, I always believed It was big deal ,for his mind was sharp and his mathematical skills were superior but he always thought studying for exams is anything but lazy. he was kind of introvert but had refined thoughts which stimulated and captured everyone's mind always. His parents were very wealthy ,they owned a big house and big Car which altogether might worth some crores.Like his parents wish he finised his studies in IIT and was working for some firm which paid him handsomely.
I dreamed what would he be like ??still lively , witty, light hearted and enthusiastic, I thought many may change greatly in the course of 5 years especially after going thr IIT life . When I reached their home He embraced me. He was glad that I came. he looked the same except for the charm , it was not what it used to be. His mother welcomed me , I exchanged Namaste with his dad, He asked me to have lunch first as it was already half past 1,I immediately agreed. At dinning table his dad asked me what i was doing and I sincerely answered for all his question, Though he had everything(Great house, superb car and son graduated from IIT ) he looked,he lack happiness .
During lunch,He told me he is worried about whether his second son is going to make it through IIT or not , he also said there is no point in studying if not in IIT( I was bit offended but couldn't say anything). I was surprised when he said that, His brother was very good at studies in fact he topped the state board exams when he was at 10th.
He continued spilling out his problems which messed his life ,He said I want to buy a house at BTM layout but the price is too much, I am worried if I will get a house within my budget ( I wanted to ask him What the hell he was going to do with this house ?? also wanted to ask how many crore he was planning on :P)
No sooner he was done with his complaining, his mother started, do you know how much the gold rate is???, I wanted to buy this gold set last month for 20 lac now it has become 30 lac ( The numbers were too big for me to digest ).
They both started talking about the high fuel price which was messing their life ( I thought if its messing your life how much it is messing ,middle class like me)
They talked about temperature , they have to keep running the A/C 24hrs to tolerate the bangalore temperature ( hey dude cool, I don't even have A/c in my room, I am surviving with fan which makes loud noise ).
The lunch was finally over, me and my friend got some private time to talk our life .We settled in the garden, I asked whats happening in his life. how was IIT??? . He hesitated and I could see tears in his eyes few minutes later. He said, he doesn't like the job , he had love failure last year and feels like he is not living but surviving.
By the time I came out of that house I was Befuddled listening to all the conversation which turned into complaints about stress in work and life .I felt like I had gone out for some great mission which I couldn't accomplish.
On my way back I had to collect notes from one of my friend, she was one of the most charming friend of mine, there was something about her, I couldn't finger on it ....hmmm...joy?? I was glad, I was going to meet her it would ease me up from my last visit. I called her, she gave me the directions to find her place.It was 20min walk from his place. When I reached there I found it was small comfortable house at the corner. The house was small but the welcome was big. Her mom was very pleased and genuinely happy to meet me when she gave my introduction . We built the rapport as we sailed along and the intimacy with which her mom spoke made me feel I am speaking to someone whom I knew for years,her mom asked about guys in our class ,The lecturers ,she also asked if there is someone in the class who we hit on.She said, I look weak and fed me well with home made jamoons.
It was only a hour and I felt like I lived for years in there. After a while I asked my friend , at what time her father would be coming??She was silent for a minute and when she talked it was whisper ,she said she lost her father from cancer when she was 15. I realized the blunder I had done, I was also angry on her, she never shared that particular story with me. Her Mother wandered her eyes towards uncles photo and said after her father death there relatives betrayed them out of property .Living was very difficult until she found teaching job in some school and my friend took tuition for kids around house for extra money. when most would get depressed while recollecting the story she was happy throughout , she shared many of uncle's adventure stories , the fun they had together.....In the end she also added uncle's last word "It's better to live a life happily in the short amount of time then to live a bitter long life." and he had said he lived his short and happy life with them. Tears rolled in all three of us eyes. Her mom said they are trying to live her husband's way. She had the confidence that her daughter is going to do something which she will be proud of , she already was :).
That night when I was recalling the incidents during the visit to my friends place. I realized some facts of life "The happiest people don't have the best of everything , they just make the best of everything". The difference of the attitude towards life between two families cleared that ,no one or no happenings control our happiness but we, therefore, we have the power to change anything about yourself or our life that we want to change. I pity my rich friend and his family.....
Happy
Anu
