Chaos looms overhead, flashing lights, blaring horns, smoke, fog and the unnecessary chatter of people rushing past. And we sit, comfortable in a silence that could span for hours but hardly ever does.
Understanding nods herald the oncoming of quick social breaks and prolonged periods of hibernation and still we sit, comfortable in a spatter of conversation that stems over a lifetime – but in such a short period of time that it’s almost eerie.
Crashing waves caress the soles of our feet, playing with the smooth pebbles on the sand and reaching back to touch the horizon and we smile, serenely satisfied in the moment. There’s quiet in the distance as the laughter fades away, but not into oblivion.
Some things stay and some things go and your only hope can be that a few are left behind, holding you up till more come back around. There’s something different in the air and romance, relationships, career and family are fused into a ball of fire, swirling around and watching it dance and laugh.
It’s uncomplicated, it’s forgiving. It’s simple but not flippant. It’s real but not intense. It’s deep without being frightening. It’s irreplaceable.
When there is nothing but trust, it stands strong amongst us but not between us. Quietly summoning up the courage to let secrets flow and allow life lessons to be shared. To let everything fade away and conversation drift back into the past.
When there is nothing but understanding, it curls forward without pushing too hard. Gently scratching the surface of old wounds until they’re semi-healed, broaching topics still hidden underneath layers of uncertainty.
When there is nothing but inspiration, it crashes against us and fuses everything together, without bending backwards toward jealousy. It creates webs of tangled words and jumbles the pieces, fitting each one into the perfect slot, celebrating creativity.
When there is nothing but comfort, hours stretch into days, but still seem like minutes, and we sit in silence as the wind rages on, the rain crashes down and the world turns to silly putty in our hands.
When there is nothing but laughter, crying becomes second nature, but the tears are from an ache that rises as we sing songs of joy; melancholy forgotten. Nothing matches the elation of drowning our troubles in peals of mirth.
Secrets hold sway, but time helps us bring them forward, one by one, learning more and loving no less.
When there is nothing but encouragement and companionship, the world is our oyster, nothing seems out of reach. And we’re never alone, never lonely, never forgotten.
So, when distance scurries towards us and life takes us our separate ways, will this all be just a memory?
Rhea Dhanbhoora has been writing since childhood, has published a book of poems (Poetry Through Time, published by English Edition in 2003) and is currently a Literature student, writing features as part of a full-time job. She can’t imagine a life without writing and one day hopes to be able to live and breathe off the words, preferably in an idyllic country setting somewhere. Food, music, reading and travel are high up there on the list of things she loves reading and writing about. Writing to her is, like life itself, an adventure – a journey to find her place, to define and redefine who she is over and over again and to live and learn through the process.