For a long time I have been working on this little piece but
it took a little inspiration from a good friend of mine to finally pin it down.
It is a long read but I hope you do enjoy it!
It was exactly 4 years & 3 months ago when I first had a
glimpse of the beautiful islands of Fiji from the little pane of window beside
my seat. The sun was just rising and the tiny pieces of land were basking in
its golden rays. The aerial sight was beautiful and it forever got imprinted in
my heart.
The city we were going to live in for the next few years was
about 200 km from the International Airport. We opted for a car ride instead of
taking another plane, as this was highly recommended. As we sped through the
highway, I knew why. For most part of the journey, we had a lovely view of the
calm grayish, greenish, blue ocean with occasional sights of beautiful coral
coasts and tiny lushly green farms. Every face we passed by seemed to be
laughing and happy, free of any tension or unhappiness. I was surprised seeing
this and clearly thought that these people were gifted with a thousand
blessings to be so happy!
Our home was a beautiful little house situated very near the
ocean and was full of light during day time & cool breeze in the evenings.
The first week went by in a haze when we slowly adjusted to our new
surroundings and culture. It would be an outright lie if I said I was in love
with the place from the very beginning. No. Initially, I had been very
homesick, missing my friends and relatives back home. I had been afraid nothing
was ever going to be the same once we went back.
The first day in my new school is something that I find hard to forget. I had never felt more welcome in any place. Every one of my
new classmates and teachers had left no stone unturned to make me comfortable.
But somewhere deep inside, I knew I did not fit. It is not because I didn’t try
but there are few times in your life when trying is simply not enough. Days
turned into weeks and weeks into months but I still felt out of place. I missed
every little thing back home and memories flooded my mind. But of course, I was
not willing to give up trying.
A year had passed since the day I had had my first glimpse
of Fiji. I was gradually fitting in. And for this, there are 4 friends of mine
to whom I am eternally grateful. They had helped me absorb and adapt to their
lifestyle. They had held my hand and pulled me out of the emptiness. They made me see life from a whole new
perspective. I was slowly changing and
this change was the best of my life, moulding the life in me.
Since then, for the next 2 years, I had the best time of my
life. I prayed that these days never came to an end. I couldn’t believe I was
feeling so happy in the place that I had hated so much in the beginning. This
is when I realized that God may put you through testy times but he never lets
you down.
Those friends I mentioned earlier came home on the eve of my
return. We went for a walk and then came back and sat down outside and talked
and talked for hours into the darkness. Conversation was nothing remarkable, if
anyone else hears it but to me, it is the best evening of my life. They brought
with them little souvenirs which were most meaningful (there are certain things
which only you and your friends can understand). If God gives me a chance to
relive a moment again, I would choose that moment. And this is precisely when I
realize that happiness is about the tiniest of things which has a lot of
meaning.
There is a lot I have learnt in these 4 years. But most
important of them all, for me, is what I learnt about being happy. Remember me
mentioning the happy faces I saw during my first car journey?
The faces I saw then and everyday during the four years were
not happy and smiling because they were gifted with a thousand blessings. As a
matter of fact, most people were very ordinary people living a very simple life
with only the most essential necessities and very few blessings. They faced day
to day struggles just like everyone else in this world. That glow of happiness
was because they were content with whatever little they had and accepted life
as it is. They lived for this day and had thoughts for & about nothing
else. They knew that taking tension about things over which we have no control
is utterly foolish, something even highly intelligent people fail to
understand. They cared for everyone and shared everything they had. We often
spend years in pursuit of happiness when it had been there all along with us,
only waiting to be recognized.
It was not late
before I realized that God had given me an opportunity to be a part of his
paradise!
