And then, just like that, just like it had begun, been conceived, been executed and lived and enjoyed, the vacation ended. One morning when we woke up, I was aware of the leaden feeling once more, the weight inside my heart, the feeling of loss, an unknown fear like the first day of school…..the fear, the doubt, the weariness assailed my heart again. Even though I was still in the hills, I could feel the lightheaded happiness recede….why? It was time to go back, go back to the stress, the noise, the artificial life of the city….
The mountains looked sad too…..the clouds had disappeared, and though the sky was a stunning blue, the birds sang no more. Will the mountains miss me? Of course not, came the answer. Mother Nature does not take sides. One person more or less doesn’t matter, even a few hundred, or a few thousand, or even a few million….it doesn’t matter…..isn’t this what the mountains had taught me….the key, the secret, the path to everlasting happiness is to accept the absolute unimportance of self, of life, of death, of happiness……it is this realisation which sets one free….this is what the mountains had whispered…and I had listened, and tried to understand their timeless message….
We drove down the winding roads once more….in silence. Each one of us immersed in his or her own thoughts…a private world where no one else can reach, which we must suffer ourselves….out of which we must find our own way. I was reluctant to drive, reluctant to leave this place, this perch in the lap of nature, between the beautiful mountains. I drove as slowly as I could, and my reluctance showed on my face for Vaishali looked at me and smiled, and then touched my hand lightly….a message was passed, and understood. I nodded, and resumed my drive.
‘Goodbye mountains,’ the children chimed in unison.
‘Goodbye mountains,’Vaishali repeated.
‘Goodbye mountains,’ I echoed, my voice heavy with emotion……I will come again, I promised the hills….and the valley in between….and the lake with nine corners, the one with green waters which change colour, and the house on the mountaintop, girded by the hills, the one with the green roof, and the balcony which overlooks the valley…..
Till next time…..
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