Whatever Happens Happens For A Reason

Elisha was thinking about her school and college. She just remembered her mom say “Child please come home early from college” to which she asked “Why mom?” Her mom said “Some guests are coming home to see you.The boy is well settled and from an affluent family. They stay here in Charlotte”. Being the younger daughter in the family and the only girl child Elisha was brought up well and given good education and living in United States. She considered herself lucky as in every summer holidays she was able to join new classes like dance, music, instrument, cooking, make up etc. She had developed very good skills and was overall good in everything. She was thinking about her seventh semester course at the engineering college of computer science which lit her eyes as there was a project to be done in a team and she thought of doing something in robotics. She came out of the house, took her moped and rushed to the college. She reached the campus where her friends a gang of five waited for her. After a brief talk she said “Hey friends a guy and his parents are coming to see me today. The guy is an engineer, his father a chancellor and is a very rich family. Am a bit nervous as don’t know what to talk? Can you all suggest what do I wear and how do I behave? It is an awkward feeling to get displayed”. Her friends laughed and said “Why do you want to get married so soon? Wait for five six years, have some fun, enjoy your freedom and then get married to someone you fall in love?”. They winked at each other and Elisha blushed. After attending some classes and completing her laboratory assignment, she rushed home by 3 pm. The college was half an hour away from home and she reached by 3.30pm. After resting for fifteen minutes, she said “Mom what do I wear?”.Her mother came to the room, smiled and said Ï got this gown for you. The colour is lavender and it will suit you. Along with this wear this matching jewellery”. Elisha looked at the beautiful attire and smiled. After washing her face, she started to get dressed up. By five the door bell rang. Her mother opened the door for the guests. There was a brief exchange of greetings and the boy’s mother asked for Elisha. Elisha entered the room nervously and saw eight guests along with other members of her family. Everyone scanned her like an x ray machine from top to bottom while she entered and sat on the nearby seat next to the boy’s mother. All asked many questions and then allowed the boy and girl to chat for half an hour. The guy asked Elisha if she had any queries to which she replied “No”. However the boy introduced himself as William and said “I am 30 years old and work for a top software company. I am the only son with a sister who is married and settled. Also am very attached to my parents and would like to stay with them full life. Hope you have no objection.” Elisha said “No its fine”. The initial formality ended once Elisha treated all with snacks and tea. After a busy evening Elisha was in a completely confused state about the whole process. Mixed feelings of happiness and nervousness went through her mind till the alarm woke her up the next day. On reaching college her friends asked about the evening and Elisha narrated the entire sequence of events. Her friends teased her about the looks of the guy, nature and his interest in her. After a week the guy’s side called and said they wanted to go ahead with the marriage. Elisha’s parents, relatives were overjoyed and fixed up the marriage after few months. Elisha became busy with the marriage preparations and said to herself “Well I am getting married at the age of twenty”. After marriage she continued her college while William left for New York. Elisha completed her engineering and went to stay with her in-laws with dreams of new and rosy life. Her mother in law was the supreme commander at home. Elisha woke up in the morning and asked “Mom what all work am I supposed to do here?”. Her mother in law replied “Just see how the servants are working. We belong to a rich family and do not expect you to do tasks like in your middle class families”. Elisha was a bit hurt but ignored it. She found this house highly disciplined and money oriented with focus on maintaining images in other’s eyes. To her it appeared all artificial. William called her everyday and they spoke. One day her mother in law wanted all to go to the church when her sister in law visited them. Her mother in law told all “This is what I will offer to God, where is your money? If you offer more you get more”. Elisha laughed on hearing this as she thought her mother in law offered god so that it could get multiplied and be back. Many such instances took place during her six month stay there. After six months she got placement letter at Washington and decided to work. There were some reservations from her in laws but Elisha had worked hard to earn the job and hence took it up though her in-laws were unhappy. She found herself free again. She came to her dream city Washington and joined a government job. She got involved in it and made many friends. She took up a small house on rent and started staying there. The group had lunch together and also chatted for long. Elisha waited for William to shift to but he was unable to do so for long. In the meantime she had developed good friendship with Michael her colleague. Days passed by and Elisha got the news that William was shifting to Washington. She was happy. One day William came abruptly and saw Michael speaking to Elisha at home. Elisha introduced Michael to William and said he was a friend who helped her whenever she needed assistance and was a good friend. After some time Michael left. Elisha asked “So how did you come abruptly?”.He said “Why you wanted to be informed so that you could send Michael away” sarcastically. Elisha was silent. William rested for a while before joining for dinner and the two had it without much conversation. The morning began with a regular routine and days passed by. After few days William heard a message beep in Elisha’s phone. His inquisitiveness increased and he read the message. It was a joke from Michael. Elisha saw her phone in William’s hand and said “You should have told me that you are reading my messages” to which he replied “Yeah I know you would not want me to read your messages specially Michael’s ”. The seeds of suspicion had entered William’s mind and things started getting worse. One fine day Elisha got irritated and said Ï think we should part ways as we are unable to understand each other. I am fed up of giving explanations or hearing to your comments”.” William said “Fine I shall call both our parents and let us make a decision”. William informed their parents and they came home. They discussed everything and advised Elisha to adjust. She agreed unwillingly as she felt it was not her fault and William was doubting for no reason. Some more days passed by and William kept a watch on Elisha closely which she did not like. At work Michael tried to cheer her up and she slowly started liking him as she laughed over his jokes and was drawn towards his appreciation. One day it was raining hard and Michael offered Elisha lift till home. Both reached home completely drenched and Elisha offered Michael to come over for a cup of tea. Michael came and while having tea William also dropped in. William scolded Michael for coming home and Elisha requested William not to insult Michael. Michael left quickly and William fought with Elisha. Elisha could take it no longer and said she was moving out of the house next day. She left for a friend’s home and started staying there realising that the generation gap between two was large enough and both could not gel in together. Things became worse and the whole lot blamed Elisha. Finally Elisha decided to end the agony by asking her parents to file a divorce. The process was initiated and Elisha started getting depressed. In the meanwhile Michael supported Elisha morally and she started getting drawn towards him. After divorce Elisha thought “What will I do whole life as I am only 23 years old?” She left for Charlotte and stayed at home for three months. During this period she started getting depressed and her parents took her to a psychiatrist who advised them that she should rejoin work . Elisha did so and started to work. One day she asked Michael “Will you marry me?” Michael said “I am fond of you but would not be able to do so as my family will not accept a divorcee”. Elisha cried and then soon stopped speaking to Michael. She went home again for two months and during this time got calls from Michael asking her to come back. After few days she decided to come back again and called Michael to say so. He said “Well you may do what you like. I am not interested in your coming or going”. Elisha was stunned and her eyes filled with tears. The next day she said to herself “I am going to be strong now. It is just one life and I should live it to the fullest. I am going to face everyone and everything like a blank page”. Elisha now started living with her dreams dancing, singing, cooking, reading and enjoying life. Days passed by and she soon realised that whatever happens happens for a reason. She got to know the true picture of William as well as Michael early in life. Though there was a little pain in her heart while she thought “They could have treated me like a human being”. Slowly the memories faded away and she started excelling in her work. After few months Elisha’s parents asked if she would like to settle down with someone in life. She agreed and they searched a suitable match for her. The guy was Doron a doctor by profession. They met, courted and after a year decided to get married. Elisha had found her happiness with Doron who had a lot of understanding and affection. Her life was now normal and each day was filled with warmth. She also realized that nothing is right or wrong. It all lies in the eyes of the beholder. Her experiences had made her strong and she valued her relationship with Doron even more with the conclusion that whatever happens happens for a reason. Elisha concluded
“As a child we learn to laugh and cry,
As teenagers we learn to hate and fight,
As grown ups we learn to prove our points and satisfy our ego,
As oldies we frown and think we are most intelligent,
As the day comes we leave the body and unlearn everything,
All that stays behind are our emotions of love, warmth and care towards the world,
Though each one of us knows this reality we still do not treat others well,
We hurt them and give them pain,
Till this day ,I fail to understand why?
It takes a second to hurt and ages to make someone smile,
Maybe someday will find an answer...”