Once upon some time…

…Three characters who were the best of friends set out on a journey.

Shortly after the below picture was taken one of them vomited because of the twisting and turning road from Mumbai to Goa. The happy expressions do not betray the discomfort of at least one of them.

Pictures never reveal a lot so I never read too much in one. Times do.

The milky waterfall, riveting greenery, the time of the day, the sweeping beauty of rain in Western Ghats presented a wonderful backdrop for one of the many journey’s they undertook together. The memory of the moment serves as a reminder of a bygone era. It had interlocked three wishes; to be happy, find purpose and to make the most of their lives. That era catapulted more or less intertwined lives into three different streams of life.

One of them ever-determined to make the most of his life continued his search for meaning of life and happiness. He lives to push his mental and physical self into uncharted waters. People, places and events in life just happen to be there for him. His ultimate destination is his journey into self-love and discovery.

The second one was diagnosed with, what seemed to be, a non-threatening yet permanent illness. That after his personal life descended into shambles. He is the most opinionated and self-respecting character of the lot. He believed he had his life under control all the time. But as many have realised from Alexander to Hitler, it never is. He too finds it out the hard way. Some of his worst fears have been realised and he lives to fight for his self-respect every passing day.

The vomiter simply resigned to a life of the most common uncle you would find walking down the street. Maybe, if one looked carefully, it might be him! Rigours of a mundane existence became his best defence against whatever life threw at him. Someone who could see the joke in everyday existence now became its most ardent worshipper.

More than a decade ago, in a lazy classroom, on another rainy day, one of them came and sat near the other. He knew him from their college events. They got along slowly.

A couple of months later, the third had requested a roommate sharing deal with one of the above. He agreed, reluctantly maybe.

Thus began an association of – well – neither knew the duration then, or for that matter now.

And thus, the three came together. But the real unifying factor, as happens in most college classrooms, dorms and hang-outs were -

Girls!

Nothing brings most boys together as shared experiences, endless chats and analysis of and about the other sex. During those days, passions and ambitions, dreams and goals had different meaning to their naive existence. Still they were important to set a direction, no matter, the splits and detours on the way. These were definitely important to bring them under this majestic waterfall on a wonderful vacation few years later.

A decade from now, they might even be under the same gushing waterfall. Perhaps not. Characters and contexts in life might change. Philosophies and outlooks may vary; as they did from their college days to the day of this picture, and from that day to the present.

But a timeless feeling, like the one under that waterfall, will forever remain entrenched in hearts. Its memory may fade but its experience will forever stay in the three’s system. For once upon some time it played a part in shaping what they are and will be.