Metro Diaries: The Last Letter~ Part 1

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The warm rays of the morning sun could do nothing to decrease the chill Sarayudevi felt in her bones. At 85 there was not a single limb in her body which did not pain with every movement. “Old age comes with its own problems” she thought as she adjusted her thick quilt and turned to her left trying to reach for a box. Hidden below those bundled blankets and shawls was a huge mahogany box. Old and worn out, the box eluded a rustic charm of its own. A criss-cross of wrinkles covered her entire face as she sat hunched on the bed holding the box closely to her face with an anticipated look on her face. 

The golden rays of the morning sun creating a halo around her lent a shine to her silver hair. Caressing it lovingly like a new born baby Sarayudevi felt its rough exterior through her wrinkled hands. Amidst all those intricate carvings it had on it, there seemed to lay some hidden secrets underneath. In its crevices sealed with a tiny lock on it, it held some priceless treasure. 

As her aged and tired fingers moved on the box it seemed as if her eyes were looking for an answer, for a secret to unveil itself and a riddle to decipher on its own. She put her hand inside her blouse and fished out a tiny key, completely rusted with time and inserted it into the keyhole to open the lock. She slowly opened the box, the joy of it reflective in her eyes. With her shivering hands she took out a piece of paper from the box. Turned yellow with time the paper seemed to have lines of untidy scribbling scrawled across it. But the love and tenderness, with which she held it showed it was much more than just a piece of scribbling. She held it delicately, not wanting to damage it and began reading it. 

My dearest Saru, 

Every morning I wake up with the same dream of meeting on you. With open hair, wisps flying on your face, those lowered dark kohl lined eyes and a faint smile on your face you look like a poetry formed somewhere in the thresholds of my imagination waiting to be given a form. Off late I noticed there is a need inside me, a need to see you in my dreams every night just to remember the reason behind my existence. I remember you have always complained that I never say you are mine. But Saru I can never say that for You are me, an extension of myself and by calling you mine I will have to separate you from me which I can never do. 

Loving you is, has and will always be the most beautiful experiences of my life for you define love for me in every heart beat, life in every breath and you define me by living and loving me like this. The fear of losing you has never been existent for me at all as I know it is impossible to separate the sun from the sky. And their love is so beautiful, it lights up the whole sky with its splendour. That is what our love is like, shining forever. As each day passes by and we continue to battle I wonder when there is so much to love in this world why do people hate each other to end up in wars! I hope this war comes to an end soon so that I can come rushing to you…. this time forever. 

Sharing with you a line by Pablo Neruda just to let you know my real feelings at this moment; 
“My feet will want to walk to where you are sleeping, but I shall go on living. “ 

Missing You! 
Yours Manu 

A tear rolled down her cheek as she completed reading this letter perhaps the zillionth time till now. She had lost count as to how many times had she read it and she knew it completely by heart. But still she began each day of hers by reading that letter. That was the last letter she had received from Manu, Maniksinh – the love of her life. A love which today even after 65 years was as strong as it was when Sarayudevi was Saru a 19 year old beautiful young girl and Manu was Subedaar Maniksinh of Rajputana Rifles. 

* -*-*-*-* 

~To be continuedin Part 2

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