The Forgotten Faith

Memories I Can Never Forget

***
"If you are quiet enough, you will hear the flow of the universe. You will feel its rhythm. Go with this flow. Happiness lies ahead. Meditation is key."
-Buddha
***
We were on our way back home. The meeting was a success and the contract was signed but amidst all that I wondered where Amar had disappeared for he had only dropped me to the meeting and picked me up. When I asked, he said he had to attend an urgent phone call but a phone call that lasted that long? I didn't dig for answers because I knew little about him and his family or his personal life for that matter.

"Amar, where in Mumbai do you stay?" I asked him.

"I don't stay in Mumbai." He replied.

"Then where are you from?"

"Originally from the north. Presently, well I don't really have a fixed place to live. Wherever I go becomes my land." Why was this guy such a big mystery?

"But you must be living somewhere right?" I asked him.

He smiled a little, still looking at the road in front, "I won't tell you, I will show you one day. Alright?"

"Hmmm...okay." I said, a little disappointed.

"Another thing..." I started. "How do you know so much about my family?"

He smiled again, "Research goes a long way no?"

I smiled back. He did all this for my sake, I really felt blessed.

"Nitya..." He called out.

"Yes?"

"You know when we get back...we can't meet right?" He said.

"Why?" His words really made my adrenaline rush.

"Because, you would be busy in your life and me in mine. And after all you are the CEO of your company. You can't be friends with a simple employee like me." He said those words which were slowly breaking my heart and yet it seemed to not affect him much. Like as if he was prepared for it.

"But, you are my friend Amar. I will always have time for you..."

"You have to face the world alone. I can't always be with you."

"Why not?" I asked now getting scared.

"I will be leaving soon. I told you I don't live in Mumbai." He said in a little saddened tone.

"I can call you up whenever I want no?" I asked.

"That you can." He smiled.

"But I don't have your number."

"I shall give it to you when we reach."
"okay." I said.

The rest of the journey was as wonderful as the trip had turned out to be. He again took me to the dhaba we had gone to on our way to Allahabad and this time I myself took him to visit the Shiva temple.

***

We parked the car outside our office and got down. I was very excited to go and tell Mr. Kashyap about how well the meeting went.

"Amar, come soon okay." I said and without even looking towards him, I hurried inside the office.

Mr. Kashyap, Mr. Singh and a few other employees were sitting at a table discussing something.

"Good day ladies and gentlemen." I greeted them.

Strangely, they didn't smile or greet back. They appeared shocked. Mr. Kashyap got up from his seat and approached me.

"Where were you? We were so worried." He said to me. I was taken aback. Worried? Didn't Amar tell them about the meeting being postponed?

Another man came running towards me who I did not recognise.

"Madam I am so sorry I couldn't make it to accompany you on the trip. I had messaged you also. I hope you got the message." He spoke.

I froze. A shiver ran down my spine. "If you were the agent than who was..." My words failed me.

"What happened Madam?" he asked confused.

"Nothing. It is okay and you all need not worry. The deal has been signed. I couldn't contact you because the phone was dead." I spoke, swallowing the lump that was rising in my throat.

"I am glad to hear that. So now we can celebrate this success." Mr. Kashyap said. "But before that I think you should rest."

"Yes, I think so too. I will meet you tomorrow." I said and left them to celebrate.

A hell lot of questions were running in my mind. If Amar was not the agent, then who was he? I tried remembering his words if he gave me any clue but no, his answers were bizarre. He didn't even tell me where he lives. There was only one person who could answer my questions and that was Amar himself.

I ran out of the building searching in the parking lot where he had parked his car but neither did I spot him nor his car. I searched all around, entered the office and searched too. I was becoming restless. I sat down on the chair in my cabin, tears trickling down my cheeks and then suddenly someone reached out and wiped them. I looked up, it was Amar. I slowly got up from my chair and stood in front of him.

"W...who are you?" I asked.

He again gave me his signature smile. "I am a vagabond, I am nothing and yet everything. I might be nowhere but I am everywhere. I am not your friend nor an enemy. No one is a stranger for me and yet no one is my own. I have no attachments and no commitments. I am in you and you are in me you just need to recognise me."

When he said that, something stirred inside me. It was like a tornado that began in my stomach and was making its way to my head. My brain didn't know what to think. Could he be...? I didn't know. I was confused. My heart may have just skipped a beat. I just couldn't move a muscle. I wanted to say something but my lips wouldn't move.

"Until we meet again..." He said and backed away and then suddenly turned into dust fading completely.
My trance was broken. I felt myself letting out the breath I didn't even know I was holding. It still felt like a dream and my knees felt weak. I slowly brought up my hand to the silver locket that I wore in my neck. I held it up, looking at it and all I could see was his smiling face. A teardrop rolled down my cheek and onto the locket. I heard his voice again,

Nitya, didn't I tell you not to cry? Don't worry. I will always be with you, you just have to recognise me. Look around yourself and find me. I am everywhere and I am and always will be with you.

This day was the best day of my life, a day I would never forget. I had taken so long to recognise my friend, who made me realise how wrong I was, the one person who I fell in love with and will continue loving forever, the one whom I knew as Amar, was Mahadev himself.

A/N: Thank you for reading my story. It's something I really wanted to share with everyone.

We all want to be Nitya, we all love God but because of the humanly desires we fail to understand his plan. This story puts across the message that we should always trust him and not lose faith so easily.

If you liked this story please do vote. :-)