Puff of Reminiscence: Rediscovering Joy in Unexpected Reunions

Their hands were locked, and his right hand was caressing her left one. She was leaning against him, so that he could feel the warmth of her body heat on his chest. She looked at him with those eyes of hers, as deep as the ocean and as blue as the skies above them. Her smile was warm, like the sunny day they were in. He smiled back at her, happy to see her again after all these years.

His heart broke a little when she told him that she had a husband now. But it was high time he moved on from his pre-marriage days and found himself a life partner. He had been single for too long. And after today, he knew he would meet someone who would be his soulmate. They would share the same interests; they would have the same sensibility; they would have children who would share the same genetic predisposition for athleticism and intelligence.

He took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and offered it to her. She took one and lit it up with a lighter he had given her during their college days. The cigarette burned between their fingers as they remembered those times together where they used to smoke joints together in an apartment complex just across the city while they watched endless movies on a laptop he had stolen from his parents' house, which was in the suburbs of Kolkata. They were young then and reckless, but their love for each other kept them safe through all those dangerous moments.

She mentioned that she needed a smoke break and suggested going into the nearby forest because nature was calling. He felt grateful to have this woman by his side. She had taken care of him through tough times recently when alcohol addiction almost cost him his job and nearly lost him his life too during a drunken driving accident.

He followed her into the lush green forest, admiring how lucky he was to have found such a beautiful soulmate for the rest of his life. As long as she stayed with him, everything was going to be alright.

"You've changed, Vishnu," she said suddenly, breaking off the reverie he was lost in. "You're not yourself anymore." She looked worried, which made Vishnu feel bad about himself again. He didn't like being disliked by people; he hated disappointing people even more than anything else in this world - even more than death itself!

He didn't know what she meant by saying that, though. He had changed? How? Hadn't she changed too? She looked different than she did many years ago - older and more mature than before, but that's what happens when you live alone for many years. You age faster than your peers. Everyone ages faster than their peers. That's just how life works! People change! That's what makes us human! It's natural! We can't fight against nature! We should accept our fate gracefully instead of trying to escape from it! Things happen in life we cannot control - only our reactions to those things can be controlled!

And then it hit him hard: His midlife crisis had reached its peak point finally! He realized several issues were affecting his current state of mind:

1) Drinking alcohol every day for the past month until late night hours, while neglecting his wife and kids at home who went hungry because he couldn't afford dinner due to spending all his money on alcohol;

2) Smoking cigarettes daily despite knowing very well that smoking causes lung cancer;

3) Frequently watching porn due to loneliness and an inability to get up from bed some days because of depression caused by work pressure from a boss who constantly called him last minute at night or early morning hours to finish project reports or fix server issues.

"I'm fine, Sameera. I'm just having a bad day," Vishnu said after thinking for a few minutes as they walked back towards their car parked near the forest entrance. They sat on the hood and shared a lunch of sandwiches, with rice, rotis, dal, and salad that she had prepared. As they smoked weed together, they talked about everything under the sun:

How Vishnu wished that he could travel around India someday soon because the country is full of wonders hidden beyond mountains and deep within jungles; How Sameera wished she could travel around the world, as the planet is full of wonders hidden behind oceans and deep inside the earth's crust; Vishnu admiring Sameera's intelligence and believing it worthy of a CEO position if she ever chose to pursue a corporate career instead of teaching.

After finishing their conversation, they decided it was time to leave, so they walked back towards their car while enjoying the afternoon sunrays. They realized what had happened between them was a mistake, and their relationship didn't work out because people naturally change over time, and sometimes even nature itself evolves. They concluded that maybe there's no point in trying to hold onto an idealized version of one another, but rather accept and grow alongside life's natural transformations.

As they drove apart, Vishnu realized

that he was filled with a strange mix of emotions. On one hand, he felt a sense of relief and closure from his encounter with Sameera. They had revisited their shared past, acknowledged the changes that had taken place in their lives, and accepted that they were no longer the same people they once were. It was liberating in a way, knowing that he didn't have to hold onto the past or yearn for what could have been.

But on the other hand, there was a lingering feeling of emptiness. It was as if a chapter of his life had closed abruptly, and he was left wondering what would come next. Vishnu had spent so much time fixating on the idea of finding a soulmate, someone who would share his interests and be his perfect match. But now, he questioned whether that was really what he needed or if he had been searching for something that didn't exist.

Days turned into weeks, and Vishnu found himself reflecting on the encounter with Sameera more and more. He began to question the choices he had made in his life. The midlife crisis that had gripped him before seemed to have transformed into a profound self-reflection. He realized that his pursuit of happiness and fulfillment had been clouded by external expectations and societal pressures.

Sitting alone in his apartment one evening, he picked up a pen and a blank page. As he started to write, the words flowed from his mind onto the paper like a torrential downpour. He poured his heart and soul onto those pages, exploring his deepest fears, regrets, and desires. It was a cathartic experience, a way for him to make sense of the whirlwind of emotions that had consumed him.

Days turned into weeks, and Vishnu continued to write. He shared his innermost thoughts, not just with himself, but with the world. He began posting his writings online, under a pseudonym. To his surprise, his words resonated with others. People from all walks of life connected to his stories of vulnerability, of searching for meaning, of questioning societal norms.

Vishnu's writing become his solace, his therapy, and his way of connecting with others. It became his new passion, his newfound purpose. He realized that he didn't need a soulmate to feel complete. He didn't need someone who shared the same interests or genetic predispositions. All he needed was the courage to embrace who he truly was and share his authentic self with the world.

His writing took him on a journey he never expected. Publishing houses took notice of his talent and offered him book deals. Vishnu became a best-selling author, known for his raw and honest storytelling. Readers were captivated by his ability to touch their hearts and provoke introspection. He traveled around the world, not as a tourist seeking wonders, but as an observer of humanity, collecting stories and experiences to fuel his creative fire.

Through his writing, Vishnu was able to transform the pain of his midlife crisis into something beautiful. He had come to realize that life was not about finding a perfect match, but about embracing imperfection and finding purpose in the chaos. He understood that it was okay to change, to evolve, and to let go of the past. The only constant in life was the capacity to grow and learn.

And as Vishnu sat in his cozy study, surrounded by the books he had written and the stories he had shared, he smiled. He had found his true soulmate in the written word, in the connection he had forged with others through his stories. The emptiness that once consumed him had been replaced with a sense of fulfillment and a newfound appreciation for the unpredictable journey of life.

In that moment, as he leaned back in his chair, Vishnu realized that he had found his purpose. And he vowed to continue writing, to continue sharing his truth with the world, and to inspire others to embrace their own journey of self-discovery. Because he understood now that life wasn't about reaching a destination or finding the perfect match. It was about embracing the uncertainties, embracing change, and finding beauty in the process of becoming.