The Life Is Here By Nasthenka

 

You want a good life? It is not at all complicated. Tell someone you love that you love him or her.

Read a good book. Go on a travel. Embrace life.

“You never ever have to force what’s real! It comes to you”

Mira’s brain is filled with verses, lyrics, and cozy dialogues from books and of course movies. Submerged in the beauty of nature, she failed to notice his arrival.

 The blissful ambience across the seashore, filled with splashes of vibrant blue, warmth of love, and a universe of serenity, with them. 

“Have you been to this island, Nas?” He caressed her, hugging her from behind, placing her chin on her shoulder and whispered into her ears. She smiled and nodded no, looking at the various shades of blue from sea to sky, embraced being embraced in his arms. She’s trying to find the spot where the sky and sea connect together. It was so warm and comforting. She melted in his warmth and tender cuddle.

“I asked you…” his voice turned even softer and she turned towards him and placed her fingers on his lips.

“Why don’t you let me relish this magical potion of life?” murmured her lips!

“I remember reading this from a book, Don’t look for love in his words. He shows love in a million words. Isn’t it all true? I hope it isn’t a dream” she continued.

“Yes, it is not, let me prove you” before he tried to prove her, Mira’s phone Alarm screamed!

***

WAKEUP, WAKEUP! 

Oh shit! It’s a dream.. my bad… Carrying dreams of her dream man, she is yet to meet one!

It was a beautiful day. A glorious rainy day! Mira always had a heart full of dreams but somehow, she’ll let it die. It blossoms again, blooms again, fills her and again dies.

Turned off the alarm and covered with the blanket, tried to recollect the dream. Magic potion, life, hug, island, blue, book and what else! She couldn’t recollect or remember it completely.

Ahhh.. why am I not able to remember the dreams perfectly! Why why?

Everything appeared strange for her, including morning dream.

Nas, what’s that Nas? She texted her friend, whats NAS?

Her friend replied, ‘again you started? Come on, we have an event today. Make sure you are ready with the arrangements.’

Mira wrote a note in her diary yesterday! She picked her diary and read what she wrote a day before. She’s convinced that the dream could be a reflection of what she was expecting!

‘I've always been the cupid to many. The one who shows "risk" as a suggestion. I am the one who in her spare time lives immersed in romantic books with impossible and at the same time perfect love stories. Until a while ago I just wanted to feel it there, at a certain distance. I seek something at a distance capable of making me dream and at the same time with the impossibility of stealing my dream.

Yet, suddenly you arrive. Convinced of enduring my chaos, my schedules, my obligations! Making my routine a little yours; Yielding, understanding myself, always supporting me with enthusiasm. Arriving as the king of the house, making you the owner of everything mine. And I with the illusion of sharing everything with you. Making plans that time will decide, but enjoying every wish that comes true. Always arriving late. Always. Knowing that although for me time is gold I adore when you arrive with the smile on and the last hour, it is.’

***

The young and charming Mira, living her mom turned closest buddy. A bad childhood with a single mother, embracing loneliness and revolving around books, Mira grew up holding on to her own thoughts and scenarios in life! Partnered with her beloved friend in an event management firm, her world revolves around books, exploring dreams, and irrelevant odd stuff that she encounters every now and then.

It’s been a while, I went to the book shop and even the library books are here! When was the due date? Gosh, I missed again. It’s been more than ten days. This time, she just gonna smash on my face. Let me skip the library. I am going to the book store. Mira talked to self in a silent convo.

“If you can make me laugh, my heart is yours” – suddenly she rememberd a quote of Shay Mitchell! 

Why am I getting these sayings flashing before me? What is Nas? Mira asked to Mira in the mirror. ‘I am waiting for you darling! Catch up soon!’

Mira heard a subtle voice, maybe inside her brain. Stumbled upon hearing a voice suddenly, she was shocked and a bit surprised. Was it her friend or something else?

Remembering something, she texted her mother, ‘Amma, I ordered for the decorative items for your colleague’s retirement event and they’ll deliver it by noon. Don’t worry. Just make sure you be there as my elegant lovely lady evening!’ with kiss smileys.

Like a strong and refreshing breeze, Mira left her home without knowing her life is going to change.

***

At The Book Shop! It was a brand new store opened recently in her locality. 

The shopkeeper welcomed Mira with a warm smile. After formal encounters about the shop, her preferences, he said, ‘we have recently published collections listed there at the right end. Hope you would like it’. Mira thanked and started scanning the book shop. The quiet place is filled with books, books and books, with a few heads, fingers turning pages, glancing books! She went to the new shelf, pointed by the shopkeeper.

Something that caught her attention – The whole shop is decorated with framed pictures of quotes and poems. Lovely little poems and amazing quotes that reflects the life, love, connectivity with life and everything countable in life.  

Reflect Love and Kindness

And all your pain

Will burn away

A picture with the above letters made her smile again. She scrutinized the list of new books, spent several minutes but seemed to be unhappy. She picked the books, flipped the pages and kept it back in place. And repeated closer to solid 30 minutes.

She turned back, and a title lured her senses. She rushed towards the book and picked the title, “The Life is Here”

She smiled and her eyes balls expanded reading the tagline of the book “You never ever have to force what’s real! It comes to you”

Curiosity pumped up her adrenaline and she picked the first book. A guy came from no where, and picked the next one.  

In the preface, the book is dedicated to Fyodor Dostoyevsky, “I don’t know how to be silent, when my heart is speaking” – Nasthenka. 

She started scanning the pages! To her surprise, only one side of the book is printed. Mira thought it was the design. She flipped the pages again and again. Nope it could be printing mistake. She went to ask the shopkeeper. He was talking to someone in phone and signed her he will be back. She went again, the guy was there still and look at the book.

With a little hesitation, she picked the third copy from the shelf. He followed her immediately. They looked at each other, shared a glance and stole a glance, less than a second.  

Again, she was shocked to see the empty pages. In her copies, the right side of the pages printed.

She read a few lines.

“Have you been to this island, Nas?” He carressed her, hugging her from behind, placing her chin on her shoulder and whispered into her ears. She smiled and nodded no, looking at the various shades of blue from sea to sky, embraced being embraced in his arms. She’s trying to find the spot where the sky and sea connects together. It was so warm and comforting. She melted in his warmth and tender cuddle.

Never had such a shock in her life so far. She was stumbled to read. Each page had just 6 to 8 lines printed. While she was thinking of all the strange scenarios from morning, she suddenly realized he was staring at her. She looked at him, and he looked extremely puzzled.

Somehow they both were able to understand what they were going through. His eyes just confirmed that the books in their hands didn’t carry any printing mistake.

Mira smiled at him! He replied, adding words to his smile.

“You are right, right, Miss?” 

“If you are left, I am right!” – Mira replied.

“Ms. Right, you are right. I am left here, left with the left part of the books, and left alone by Nas!”

“Nas?” she questioned him! After a pause, “Nasthenka, White Nights” she replied.

‘Oh damn, how I forgot it. Who’s the author?’

The Life is Here – Nasthenka

Wow, so this Nasthenka is Nas. I couldn’t believe. She murmured. Suddenly realizing his presence adjacent to her, she felt a bit awkward. She dreamt herself as Nasthenka, awaiting for the love of her life at times. 

“Look at the sky and stars, get wet in the rain, relish yourself amidst nature! Universe has everything to bestow you with blessed life. You have dissected yourself from the world! I bless you find love that keeps away all the weapons off your hands and you never have to be in war, except in love.” 

Yours Loving Nasthenka!

She read the end notes of the book. Mira imagined herself as Nasthenka, from the White Nights many times. She lived in the surreal world as Nasthenka for days, months and perhaps a year, with her dream man!

“Strange isn’t it Ms. Right?” – the guy asking in an amusing tone. 

“Yea Mr. Left.”

“How are we supposed to read this book? The tiltle attracted me. And you know what, I don’t believe in book romance!” 

“Same here,” Mira replied. “I, I meant, the title attracted!” 

“May be this could be odd. Why are still calling me Mr. Left, when I am not left anymore?”

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean to say, I am not left alone when I am with Ms. Right.”

“I said, I am Mira.” 

“Yea Ms. Mira, you are right.”

After a pause, both laughed! 

Do you believe this Mira, “Beautiful things always take time. It is always worth waiting’!” 

She blushed, but changed her mind in a micro second. He noticed it and smirked.

‘Mira’ he called tenderly, locking his eyes on her, pointed at the book ‘The Life is Here’ “I was telling this!”  

After a moment of eye lock, she replied, “I understood” in a low tone.

“May I ask you something?” – he asked her like handling something extremely fragile!

Oh damn, his voice just melts me! Unable to speak, she stood in silence.

“Do you believe in destiny, life turning upside down in a day, of course on a positive note, Mira?”

“I do”

He smiled at her reply, “It may be too fast, too cliched, too dramatic or whatsoever as it appears all over the world, I think it is love at first sight, destined to be together, here!”

What are you trying to say Mr…

“Ram! I felt everything strange today. And and… “

He stopped. After seeing her mischievous smile, he continued  “I cannot promise you a book love, never a Jupiter trip, but I can assure you that if we move ahead, try and explore our lives together, we may find, love is more than "I love you". I feel I already miss you for years that we haven’t met! Luckily there are people who do not look at you from above, but come into your life to stay and stand by your side. And…”

“At the height of your eyes and your heart” – she completed him!

Nasthenka appeared before them and said, “I know you have been struggling to find the love of your life. I am not a cupid, but a soul that lives in you. Let your soul speaks out, you will find right people at the right time. You are destined to get the book here, ‘The Life is Here’ to make it complete.”

Ram and Mira felt something magical around them. Is it a vision or trance.

The purchased the books and left the store. The shopkeeper gave cards, thanking them. “Thanks for Coming to Karma Store”

Surrounded by the Stories surreal and sublime, I fell in love in the library once upon a time – Jimmy Buffet