From & To Sathish #5 - Page 21

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBumgq5yVrA

Well you only need the light when it's burning low

Only miss the sun when it starts to snow

Only know you love her when you let her go

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low

Only hate the road when you're missin' home

Only know you love her when you let her go

And you let her go

Staring at the bottom of your glass

Hoping one day you'll make a dream last

But dreams come slow and they go so fast

You see her when you close your eyes

Maybe one day you'll understand why

Everything you touch surely dies

But you only need the light when it's burning low

Only miss the sun when it starts to snow

Only know you love her when you let her go

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low

Only hate the road when you're missin' home

Only know you love her when you let her go

Staring at the ceiling in the dark

Same old empty feeling in your heart

'Cause love comes slow and it goes so fast

Well you see her when you fall asleep

But never to touch and never to keep

'Cause you loved her too much

And you dived too deep

Well you only need the light when it's burning low

Only miss the sun when it starts to snow

Only know you love her when you let her go

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low

Only hate the road when you're missin' home

Only know you love her when you let her go

And you let her go

And you let her go

Well you let her go

Vaanathai Pola 370

Up above. Two simple words you might think and turn away but think again. When you are sad, scared, troubled, and in pain, where do your eyes go, seek if not the heavens above. We look to the skies for answers and for relief as it is somehow imprinted in our psyche that it is the abode of God, the creator and the Almighty. For what other place would be more befitting for the entity that created all of this Universe. this cosmos that stretches to infinity and beyond infinity.

Hundreds of thousands of years ago, our ancestors must have gazed at the sun, the moon and the night skies and thought that they must have come from there. That they were created by that which roamed in those skies. Even then, back in those ancient times when our ancestors roamed naked, stole and scavenged food from other animals, something lay buried in their brains that told them that there was something out there more powerful than they were and that which saw everything and was the cause for everything.

So, they began to worship the Sun, the moon, the stars, and other creations and even worshipped animals much larger and stronger than themselves. But, they were drawn always to the skies, be it day or at night and then modern man evolved and evolved fast.

I wonder at what point in ancient history man began to build shrines and worship idols and what drove their imagination in their endeavours. Today, the remains at Göbekli Tepe "Potbelly Hill" known as Girê Mirazan or Xirabreskê in Kurdish is a Neolithic archaeological site near the city of Sanliurfa in Southeastern Anatolia has been officially acknowledged as the oldest shrine built by our ancestors and it is dated at 9500 bc. 11,000 years old and it predates ancient structures such as the Stonehenge, Pyramids of Egypt and Caral-Supe in South America.

But long before man built temples, crude shrines for his gods that he gave birth from imagination, fear and need, the early man started worshipping places. Sacred places that vibrated with power and whispered to his subconsciousness.

Thus were born Shamans, priests, mystics, healers,witch-doctors etc who could speak to the gods and translate what the heavens whispered. They were the all-powerful messengers of gods and their people bowed and worshipped them and followed their advice. Whether they were true or false and regardless of their evil nature, people in ancient times flocked to these men and women who said they were the chosen one and only they could approach God and only through them God worked his magic.

Today, we have the Pope in the Vatican city as the religious head of all Christians. Almost all people belonging to the faith of Islam, consider the Grand Imam of al-Azhar also known as Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar currently Ahmed el-Tayeb to be the highest authority in Sunni Islamic thought and who holds great influence on followers of the theological Ash'ari and Maturidi traditions worldwide. The Dalai Lama is the spiritual head of all Buddhists and coming to Hinduism, well..... sorry, too many heads and like that popular saying," Too many cooks spoil the broth"... nothing to say there.

Together, Christianity(31 per cent) and Islam (25per cent) along with Hinduism( 15 per cent) and Buddhism ( 6 per cent) make up nearly 76 per cent of people's faith and this is where our story starts nearly a month ago when the Pope sent out an invitation to all the heads of all religions for a friendly meeting in the Vatican city.

The meeting took place and then all the heads posed for photographs. When Pope Francis was asked the reason for the sudden meeting of all the religious leaders that had been arranged by him, he in his own inimitable style pointed to Grand Imam of al-Azhar Ahmed el-Tayeb and said, ' I just wanted to chat and spend some time with my brothers over a cup of tea.'

Then, the whole world watched as his face had turned grave and he had said in a very sombre and pained voice, ' I and my brothers are greatly pained and troubled by all violence and killing that is taking place in the name of God. ...........'

The time in Rome was 10.00 in the morning when the Pope along with other world religious leaders was addressing the press who were gathered there in the thousands and it was nearly 5.30 pm in the evening on the other side of the world in the region called land down under when Goonagulla switched off the television and slowly got up from his chair and walked towards the door. His great-grandson Djalu as always was waiting for him near the door with his ancient walking stick made from the red gum tree and handed it to him and whispered, ' Elder, I see you.'

Goonagulla took his walking stick and placing it gently on Djalu's head, blessed him.

' Today, I walk alone for I am going into the cave to pray and also spend the night in Dreamtime.'

Djalu which means "Lightning" in Native Australian language bowed to Goonagulla which means "Sky" and whispered, ' Elder, I hear you. I will wait for you, right here and with my eyes and heart wide open.'

Far, far away, Alpha, the head of Sons of Gaia spoke to his friends and members, ' It is fixed. The men we have hired will board the flight in Singapore and take control and will reach London. While that is happening and with the entire worlds attention on the hostage crisis in London, we will begin with our purpose.'

This is one week ago and one week later, Qantas flight from Sydney to London, via Singapore was hijacked. But what happened and why is the plane now heading towards Chennai.

Who is Goonagulla and what is the cave he is going into and why?

What is Vaanathai Pola doing in the middle of Australia?

Avan, Aval, Adhu 65

“And they lived happily ever after” is one of the most tragic sentences in literature. It is tragic because it tells a falsehood about life and has led countless generations of people to expect something from human existence which is not possible on this fragile, imperfect earth. The “happy ending” obsession is both a romantic illusion and a psychological handicap. It can never be literally true that love and marriage are unblemished perfections, for any worthwhile life has its trials, its disappointments, and its burning heartaches. Yet who can compare the numbers of people who have unconsciously absorbed this “and they lived happily ever after” illusion in their childhood and have thereafter been disappointed when life has not come up to their expectations and who secretly suffer from the jealous conviction that other married people know a kind of bliss that is denied them. Life is not paradise. It is pain, hardship, and temptation shot through with radiant gleams of light, friendship and love.” ― Joshua Loth Liebman

The above thought makes a lot of sense, yes, but then does it always make sense in all given situations. No. Happily ever after does not mean that after marriage or after falling in love, a couple will live a perfect life. There will be trials and tribulations and you and your partner and the love that you have for each other will be tested again and again.

But even in those troubled times if you can clasp hands, clasp your sight, join your souls and say, ' In life and in death, in pain and suffering, in good and bad times, we will survive as one, not two' then that is happily ever after indeed.

Gayatri opened her eyes slowly and then her heartbeat accelerated along with the rapid fluttering of her eyelids as she blinked and then blinked herself wide awake and into total awareness. Sensing a presence, she turned to her left and was pleasantly surprised to see the Chief nurse Saroja sitting a few feet away in the only available chair in the room with her headphones still stuck to her head.

Removing them, she smiled and asked, ' Did you sleep well?' and Gayatri nodded and looked at her curiously and asked, ' Did you, no you didn't, no way you slept in that chair all through the night?'

' No, I didn't. I just got here an hour ago after my shift was done' Saro said and slowly getting up from the chair, she looked at it with distaste and quipped, ' If I spent a whole night seating my fat B.tt in this thing which passes itself for a chair, I am certain, I will be bed-ridden with either Bedsores or worse, Hemorrhoids.'

She checked Gayatri's pulse and smiled kindly and Gayatri thought, ' you remind me of a large sunflower out in the field, all radiant in full bloom.'

Head nurse Saro Anandhan looked down at Gayatri, ' I am a proud mother of two grown-up daughters and a grandmother to three. But, what you did out there in that lake fills me with pride and I wish you had been my daughter. Then, I would have gone around the whole hospital and town tom-tomming your heroic act and in the process garner a bit of limelight.'

Gayatri slowly sat up and piled up both the pillows behind her for support and resting on them very comfortably, looked at Saro, ' I don't know about being your daughter but I can be your friend. Forever.'

Saro nodded with a smile, ' Done deal. But, I cannot compete with your other friend.'

Pointing to the chair that she had sat on for an hour, ' Just 60 odd minutes in that bloody chair has made my whole body stiff and sore, but your friend sat on a far worse chair outside your room the whole night. Sorry, that is not a chair but a steel bench. Poor man, god knows in what condition his back and body are in.'

Gayatri's eyes opened wide in shock and in pain, ' You mean, Ravi right. Ravi was here in the hospital and that too the whole night.'

Saroja nodded, ' yes. He had brought dinner for you but sadly you were already asleep.'

She winked her right eye and said, ' Not to worry for the food was put to good use' and patted her ample belly and said, ' The man's mother must be some sort of magician or worse, a witch for I tell you I have not eaten such tasty food in all my life.'

Gayatri's eyes filled with happy tears and Saro smiled and said, ' Forgive me for being frank but if I were you then I wouldn't let him get away. For he is a real catch, the real deal and an awesome human being.'

Gayatri wiped her eyes using the bedsheet and said in a soft and sad voice, ' he is all that you say and more and yet he is just a friend, Saro. Just a friend.'

' Oh, oh' Saro went safely with an exclamation for she was lost for words and then she slowly enquired, ' is he married, Gayatri?'

' No, but far worse than that.'

' Oh, oh' Saro exclaimed again and pointing to Gayatri, ' So, you are married?'

' Once, not anymore. Happily divorced for many a year now.'

Saroja shook her head, ' I don't get it. I don't get both of you. But, what is this bond between both of you and why do I sense so much love and care in him for you and in you for him.'

Gayatri looked at her and went,' uh, uh, what?'

Chief Nurse Saroja Anandan shrugged her huge shoulders, ' what is it then between you both? Obviously, you are not spring chickens anymore and are getting on in years.'

Gayatri looked at her and slowly turned towards the light that was streaming through the windows and through the curtains and said, ' It is not about years and it is not about marriage and such stuff. It is only about what one feels for another and that is the purest form of love and state to exist in.'

' I love him regardless of what his manner of love for me is. Friend, casual acquaintance or maybe even less. Because I love him and that is it. Period.'

Both women looked at each other and Saro gently brushing away the few strands of hair that had fallen on Gayatri' forehead, ' It will be painful. It will hurt. So, why put yourself in that situation?'

' Because one cannot and should not expect another to love you just because you love them. I have fallen for him and that does not mean that he should fall in love with me. But, I will pray, hope and wish that he does and I am willing to wait all my life for that love that he will give when he is ready and with a full heart.'

' Why not now? You said he is not married so what is stopping him?

Gayatri patted her chest, ' his heart, Saro. His heart is not with him. It is with another and I don't know that part of the story.'

Unable to control the pain that ripped through her whole body, she sobbed loudly, ' That woman who has his heart and his love must be special. Really special, for a man like Ravi does not offer his love and faith lightly. She must be a goddess and God only knows what her life is like being away from him and that too for more than 25 years.'

Saroja Anandan was not a person that could be easily shocked considering the line of work she was in but she was shocked and moved.

' You mean, are you saying that your friend Ravi has been doing that for nearly 25 years. Holy Christ, you are right. That love of his, that woman must be special.'

Gayatri smiled, ' and not ordinary like me.'

' and like me too' Saro added and then slowly sank into the chair that she had been cursing and went ' wow, fuc..ng wow! Now, this is a love story.'

Gayatri smiled sadly, ' it really is, Saro.'

Saroja looked at her, ' sweetie, I meant the love that you have for Ravi. That is the story. That is the present and that is simply beautiful.'

The door opened and both women looked in its direction and saw the hero of two love stories enter the room.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-tiTfzeqdE

An Airbus 380 is on its way across the Atlantic. It flies consistently at 800 km/h at 30,000 feet when suddenly a Eurofighter with Tempo Mach 2 appears.

The pilot of the fighter jet slows down, flies alongside the Airbus and greets the pilot of the passenger plane by radio: "Airbus, boring flight isn’t it? Now have a look here !"

He rolls his jet on its back, accelerates, breaks through the sound barrier, rises rapidly to a dizzying height, then swoops down almost to sea level in a breathtaking dive. He loops back next to the Airbus and asks, "Well, how was that?"

The Airbus pilot answers: "Very impressive, but now you look !"

The jet pilot watches the Airbus, but nothing happens. It continues to fly stubbornly straight, with the same speed. After 15 minutes, the Airbus pilot radios, "Well, how was that?"

Confused, the jet pilot asks, "What did you do?"

The Airbus pilot laughs and says, "I got up, stretched my legs, walked to the back of the aircraft to use the washroom, then got a cup of coffee and a chocolate fudge pastry.

The moral of the story is:

When you are young, speed and adrenaline seem to be great. But as you get older and wiser, you learn that *comfort* and *peace* are more important.

This is called S.O.S.: *Slower, Older, but Smarter.*

Dedicated to all my friends who are like me, now realising that it is time to slow down and enjoy the rest of the trip.😉

*Amazing Statistics

The number of deaths in the world in the *last 3 months of 2021*

314,687 : Covid

340,584 : Malaria

353,696 : suicide

393,479 : road accidents

240,950 : HIV

558,471 : alcohol

816,498 : smoking

1,167,714: Cancer

Then do you think Covid is dangerous?

OR

The purpose of the media campaign to settle the trade war between China and America

or

To sell US Treasury bonds to cover their fiscal deficit.

Or

Is it a Panic created by Pharma companies to sell their products like sanitizer, masks, medicine etc.

Do not Panic & don't kill yourself with unecessary fear. This posting is to balance your newsfeed from posts that caused fear and panic.

If you do contact Coronavirus, this still is not a cause for panic because:

81% of the Cases are Mild.

14% of the Cases are Moderate

Only 5% of the Cases are Critical and much less after vaccination.

Which means that even if you do get the virus, you are most likely to recover from it.

Some have said, “but this is worse than SARS and Swine flu.

SARS had a fatality rate of 10%,

Swine flu 28% , while COVID-19 has a fatality rate of less than 2% and falling rapidly following vaccination.

Moreover, looking at the ages of those who are dying of this virus, the death rate for the people UNDER 55 years of age is only 0.4%

This means that: if you are under 55 years of age and don't live out of India - you are more likely to win the lottery (which has a 1 in 45,000,000 chance)

Let's take one day ie 1 May as an example when Covid 19 took lives of 6406 in the world.

On the same day:

26,283 people died of Cancer

24,641 people died of Heart Disease

4,300 people died of Diabetes

Suicide took 28 times more lives than the virus did.

Mosquitoes kill 2,740 people every day, HUMANS kill 1,300 fellow humans every day, and Snakes kill 137 people every day. (Sharks kill 2 people a year)

*What you say ??*

SO DO THE DAILY THINGS TO SUPPORT YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM , PROPER HYGIENE AND DO NOT LIVE IN FEAR.

Join to Spread *Hope* instead of Fear.

*The Biggest Virus is* not Corona Virus but *FEAR !*

A poem read by Charlie Chaplin on his 70th birthday (April 16, 1959), originally written by Kim McMillen:

As I began to love myself I found that anguish and emotional suffering are only warning signs that I was living against my own truth. Today, I know, this is “AUTHENTICITY”.

As I began to love myself I understood how much it can offend somebody if I try to force my desires on this person, even though I knew the time was not right and the person was not ready for it, and even though this person was me. Today I call it “RESPECT”.

As I began to love myself I stopped craving for a different life, and I could see that everything that surrounded me was inviting me to grow. Today I call it “MATURITY”.

As I began to love myself I understood that at any circumstance, I am in the right place at the right time, and everything happens at the exactly right moment. So I could be calm. Today I call it “SELF-CONFIDENCE”.

As I began to love myself I quit stealing my own time, and I stopped designing huge projects for the future. Today, I only do what brings me joy and happiness, things I love to do and that make my heart cheer, and I do them in my own way and in my own rhythm. Today I call it “SIMPLICITY”.

As I began to love myself I freed myself of anything that is no good for my health – food, people, things, situations, and everything that drew me down and away from myself. At first I called this attitude a healthy egoism. Today I know it is “LOVE OF ONESELF”.

As I began to love myself I quit trying to always be right, and ever since I was wrong less of the time. Today I discovered that is “MODESTY”.

As I began to love myself I refused to go on living in the past and worrying about the future. Now, I only live for the moment, where everything is happening. Today I live each day, day by day, and I call it “FULFILLMENT”.

As I began to love myself I recognized that my mind can disturb me and it can make me sick. But as I connected it to my heart, my mind became a valuable ally. Today I call this connection “WISDOM OF THE HEART”.

We no longer need to fear arguments, confrontations or any kind of problems with ourselves or others. Even stars collide, and out of their crashing new worlds are born. Today I know “THAT IS LIFE”!

Vaanathai Pola 371

Goonagulla means Sky in his Pitjantjatjara language and he is the " Elder" of his Pitjantjatjara tribe which is also called "Anangu".

Goonagulla is an indigenous Australian but like most of his people prefers to be called an Aboriginal. The word Aboriginal means original inhabitant. Inhabitant or first humans is something to be debated for the original inhabitants of Australia are its plant life and wildlife. I bet Mother Earth would have a few of her own questions and thoughts if she was asked about what the word Aboriginal really means.

Please allow me to expand and explain the above content in greater detail with one word, " Tsunami." Until the 2004, December 26, earthquake, most people in the world were not familiar with the word Tsunami. But, today it is entrenched in our memories and its power and the magnitude of its destructive capabilities were further revealed in the 2011 japan earthquake.

Both were huge in terms of their power on the Richter scale. The 2004 Indian ocean quake measured 9.1 and the 2011 japan quake measured a close 9.0 and needless to say both unleashed death and mayhem on a mass scale.

Tsunami is one word the world population learnt in 2004 and more importantly learnt the reasons for a tsunami and why seas and oceans create them. Until then, most humans thought the land they lived on, farmed on, built their houses and dams was a solid deal and only after both the earthquakes they realized that the very ground that we live on is actually moving, floating, shifting, joining, breaking and always ready to reveal that power through earthquakes and volcanoes.

The Earth's crust is floating around in small and large pieces that are technically called tectonic plates.The theory of plate tectonics states that the Earth’s solid outer crust, the lithosphere, is separated into plates that move over the asthenosphere, the molten upper portion of the mantle. Oceanic and continental plates come together, spread apart, and interact at boundaries all over the planet. At convergent boundaries, plates collide with one another. The collision buckles the edge of one or both plates, creating a mountain range or subducting one of the plates under the other, creating a deep seafloor trench.

The highest mountain range above sea level, the Himalayas, was formed 55 million years ago when the Eurasian and Indo-Australian continental plates converged.

So, simply put and coming back to our story and Goonagulla, there is no original inhabitant on this earth but for the earth itself and that too as I have described with boring scientific data is not the same and is constantly shifting, moving, joining and millions of years from now, the earth and its continents will be unrecognizable from what it is today.

Goonagulla is addressed as " Elder" not just because he is the oldest but also the wisest and the one who talks to mother nature and deciphers her messages to his people. Goonagulla is nearly 90 years old and that itself is a rare thing among his people for their life expectancy is usually 70 years and a bit of change.

Goonagulla became the village Elder when he was just in his forties and that title was given to him by the previous Elder on his deathbed for the man saw something in Goonagulla.

But all that was nothing when compared to what he had been seeing in his dreams for many months now and it was not just about his dreams but Dreamtime itself.

The Dreamtime is a commonly used term for describing important features of Aboriginal spiritual beliefs and existence. It is not generally well understood by non-indigenous people.

Aboriginals believe that the Dreamtime was way back, at the very beginning. The land and the people were created by the Spirits. They made the rivers, streams, water holes the land, hills, rocks, plants and animals. It is believed that the Spirits gave them their hunting tools and each tribe its land, their totems and their Dreaming. The Aboriginals believed that the entire world was made by their Ancestors way back in the very beginning of time, the Dreamtime. The Ancestors made everything.

The Ancestors made particular sites to show the Aboriginal people which places were to be sacred. The Aboriginals performed ritual ceremonies and customary songs near the sacred sites to please the Ancestral spirits and to keep themselves alive.

Distinct tribes had different philosophies and beliefs about the Ancestors who made the world. Some believed that the Ancestors were animal-spirits. Others in parts of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory believed the Ancestors were huge snakes. In other places, the spirit who created the world was believed to be the Wanadjina.

Dreamtime is the foundation of Aboriginal religion and culture. It dates back some 65,000 years. It is the story of events that have happened, how the universe came to be, how human beings were created and how their Creator intended for humans to function within the world as they knew it. Aboriginal people understood the Dreamtime as a beginning that never ended. They held the belief that the Dreamtime is a period on a continuum of past, present and future.

For Goonagulla and his people who belong to the Pitjantjatjara tribe, Uluru is a sacred site and has been for more than 50,000 years. Uluru Rock is a part of their Dreamtime legends and the sacred place where their Gods descended down to Earth when they were called for.

Thousands of Elders over thousands of years have prayed at the sacred Uluru Rock but only a few had ventured deep into its lair. For, all of them know that it is the world of Baiame.

In Australian Aboriginal mythology, Baiame (or Biame, Baayami, Baayama or Byamee) was the creator god and sky father. The Baiame story tells how Baiame came down from the sky to the land and created rivers, mountains, and forests. He then gave the people their laws of life, traditions, songs, and culture. He also created the first initiation site. This is known as a bora; a place where boys were initiated into manhood. When he had finished, he returned to the sky and people called him the Sky Hero or All Father or Sky Father.

The local Aṉangu, the Pitjantjatjara people, call the landmark Uluṟu. This word is a proper noun, with no further particular meaning in the Pitjantjatjara dialect, although it is used as a local family name by the senior Traditional Owners of Uluru.

Uluru is sacred to the Pitjantjatjara, the Aboriginal people of the area, known as the Aṉangu. The area around the formation is home to an abundance of springs, waterholes, rock caves and ancient paintings. Uluru is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

For a 90 year old man, Goonagulla was a remarkably well-preserved man although his eyes were not what they had been just a few years ago. So, he walked into Uluru through an opening that only he and a few other Elders of other tribes knew of and it was a secret that had been maintained for more than 30,000 years. The place that Goonagulla was heading to was a small cavern that had a large opening in its roof that allowed a person to gaze up at the glorious night sky.

The particular spot had paintings that were thousands of years old and had never been seen by the outside world.

Goonagulla stood with his head bent under the opening and prayed to the open night sky.

' All father. Hear me, hear my prayers and save us. I pray not just for my people but for all life in this world. There is a darkness that is fast approaching, father and I know only you can save us from its evil.'

He felt it in his soul. He felt Baiame approach like a cat and Goonagulla slowly fell to his knees and placing his forehead on the sandy floor, prayed, ' I sense you father. I feel you, my mother. Rescue us. I beg of you, save us from certain death.'

Goonagulla knew Baiame stood in front of him and then he heard its voice, ' Rise wise one and stand as my friend, Elder.'

Goonagulla took the mighty hand that lifted him to his knees casually as if he was a soft toy and in the darkness looked into Baiame's eyes for the very first time in his 90 years of existence.

The eyes were green and then they turned orange and green again and Baiame whispered, ' It will be so.'

The boy who went into the dark and came back with light.

I give you Uluru Rock and the coming of Baiame.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNlXH7GXau0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_iEWvtKcuQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hos7w8xrcEs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryrXAGY1dmE

Avan, Aval, Adhu 66

' Good morning, Gayatri. Good morning, Nurse' Ravi politely wished both the women and placing a well-worn plastic carry bag on the table next to her, ' I will wait outside until you are done.'

Head nurse Saroja announced cheerfully, ' Mr Ravi, there is nothing to be done. Her blood tests are all clear and she is ready to go. But, I feel that another day here will be advisable and I say that just to be on the safe side.'

Gayatri looked at Saroja, ' good for me or good for the bill?'

Head nurse of Apollo Hospitals, Saroja Anandan looked scandalized and fluttering her eyelashes like a coy girl, ' I am sorry, me no understand them words for me no speak Hingleesh.'

Ravi and Gayatri burst out laughing and he looked at her and said, ' let us err on the side of caution. It is not just about blood tests and stuff but I have read that near-drowning victims sometimes exhibit brain trauma, days and weeks after they have survived their ordeal and all that is because of Hypoxia.'

He sat on the bed, next to her left hip and continued, ' You did not breathe for two to three minutes and that is a pretty serious situation. So, please, spend one more day here, under observation rather than getting discharged and wilfully exposing yourself unnecessary risks.'

Gayatri smiled and looked at the basket next to her and sniffing the air, ' I don't mind staying here for one more day or for one more week even as long as your mum keeps sending me food through you.'

Head nurse Saroja excused herself saying that she was tired from the night shift and left after bidding them goodbye but not before exchanging a wink and flashing a knowing smile with Gayatri.

Alone, both looked at each other with kindness, care, and trust and he asked her, ' did you sleep well?'

' Yes, I did. No complaints. Although, I did dream a bit before drifting away into another world.'

9.9 times out of 10, Ravi would not have asked it but he did now just to make small talk and keep the conversation going. He was not the type of person to ask unnecessary questions, personal or impersonal in nature of anyone regardless of their status but he did now for he felt comfortable with Gayatri and trusted her even though she had proved again and again to be naughty by nature.

' What did you dream about? Hopefully, it was a pleasant one filled with happy memories?'

Gayatri looked at him and thought to herself, ' Is he a kid stuck in a man's body? He is easily one of the smartest and most intelligent person I have ever met in all my life but why do I feel that he really is naive and gullible by nature.'

Ravi reached forward and shook her left arm, remarked mockingly, ' Ma'am, I am sorry that my question has got you all tongue-tied and lost. Forget that I asked it.'

He looked at her funnily, ' The expression on your face is as if you were woken up and asked to explain the Theory of Relativity itself.'

Then the smile slowly faded from his eyes and seeing it slip away was like seeing the sun slip behind dark clouds Gayatri thought and she heard him say, ' I am sorry for being making light of what seems to be a rather difficult and personal situation.'

' Ravi, why do you say that?'

' say what..?'

' difficult and personal'

Ravi looked down and said softly, ' whatever dream you had must have been personal and a difficult one for otherwise you would have immediately shared it openly with me.'

She wanted to tell him about her dream and ask him the million questions that were trapped in her head and buzzing like bees but she did not and chose a nod and smile instead and said, ' You are right when you said that I would have shared it with you and you are right again when you said that my dream must have been a difficult one and a deeply personal one.'

She looked at him and smiled and said, ' maybe one day I will tell you about it and ask what you think about it.'

Excusing herself, she went into the bathroom and coming out was surprised to see the room empty and opening the door peeped out to see Ravi sitting outside reading a paper.

She called his name and he looked up with a smiled and pointed to the paper and said, ' Guess who has got into the papers.'