From the attic of memories ~ Day # 6 (On survival)

2009

Wake up Sid had released. As a movie it was dreamy and as a concept it felt so close to heart. I had set my foot in Mumbai for the first time as a child and had fallen in love with this city of dreams. 2004, I was back to this city. This time as an adult for an interview which was typically my first solo trip ever. This city has remained to me what I like to call my first love. You might break up and go however far you want, but there is a strange solace that you experience only here. In the next few years I was making frequent work trips to this magical city and every trip added more smiles to my dreary existence.

My love for Mumbai was what made this movie special because Mumbai is the narrator of this story. I have always believed this city breathes and this movie makes me hear its heartbeats in those tiny stories that come together to define Mumbai, a city with a heart. The most amazing part of this movie for me has to be the beautiful house Konkana Sen Sharma is shown living in. I always sighed at this scene and loved it to bits. But in one corner of my heart, I also knew I could never have it. It was a luxury I could not afford and I had resigned to my fate, accepting it with a smile and just admiring this from a distance to warm up the cockles of my heart whenever I needed an instant 'pick-me-up'.

Image Source: Pinterest

When this movie came out, a colleague told me how he saw me as Konkana (the female protagonist) - one who moves to Mumbai in search of better prospects, finds a job, gets her own place on rent and struggles to settle down in this big, crowded city. I still remember his words, "I see you like that, living life on your own terms, doing up your own house in a unique manner and making it a piece of heaven you come back to every night after an exhaustive battle with the whole world during the day." I didnt think too much of it then. All I remember is, her house in the movie was actually a dream come true - small, cozy and warm. Mind you I had never thought of living on my own till then.

I might have ignored his words but this home remained etched in my memory for it somehow defined peace, joy and love for me.

2019

Image Source: Pinterest

I have an exactly same place of my own, with dreamy walls, fairy lights, fuschia curtains, hand painted wall murals, books, candles and cozy corners where I keep drifting away between dreams and reality. This place is filled with music of different kind and smells of hope lightly mixed with laughter. It is small, but it warm. In that tiny kitchen there are nights when I whip up a storm while there are days when even a bowl of soup tastes divine. The large French windows which make my heart flutter every time they bring in a gust of fresh air. I also lie down like that by the window, sky gazing for hours, counting the stars or at times just talking to them. I also have a cage, birds raring to fly and butterflies all around bringing in hope and joy for me with their presence.

It is eerie that I did not notice this similarity or have any idea about the remotest possibility of it happening. Yet, it did. I realised it few weeks ago when this movie completed a decade and some handles were celebrating it on social media. That is when these images reminded me of this place I call home since last five years and how Universe has a way of telling you what's in store. How there is always someone who sees your dreams way before you do, in your eyes. How some way you always land up where you are meant to be and how life, always comes around to give you a happy ending.

Image Source: Pinterest

It also makes me think - how badly would I have desired this, that I was able to manifest it so accurately. Our subconscious knows our heart's innermost desires way better than us and has a direct connection with Universe to conspire towards making it happen.

P.S: Will share the pictures of my place super soon.

“Why do we have to listen to our hearts?" the boy asked.

"Because, wherever your heart is, that is where you will find your treasure. You will never be able to escape from your heart. So it's better to listen to what it has to say.”

― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist