IT was late night that day and my husband was still in office. I remember it rained heavily. I was alone in my house. I was just strolling around inside after cooking dinner.
We had a three bedroom – hall accommodation. It’s big enough for computer professionals like us who spend their entire life working in a 4 X 4 space or even smaller. For us our world lays in our cubicles, we have anything from papers to snacks, from notes to books, from desk phones to water within a hand’s stretch. Some of us even paste pictures of our near and dear ones before us; it gives a warmer touch to our places and moreover makes it easier to work, with our loved ones around.
With space as big as our house, we never felt the need of climbing down the stairs for a walk. Being an accommodation of a newly married couple, it had bare minimum necessities and the least furniture. In fact, one of the rooms had bare floors and walls except the corner, which I kept my dressing table in. We used this room for no purposes other than what a dressing room is used for.
With i-pod headphones in, I was just roaming about my house and waiting for my husband. Suddenly I heard someone sobbing. I was shocked at the first instance, after which I gathered the courage to inspect each room one by one. I went to my bedroom first, looked and searched for I know not what, but found nothing which I feared for. There was no luck (or hard luck, God knows...!) in the other room too.
I was sure now that there’s something wrong with my third room. As I approached towards, the sobs became clearer. It shook the entire foundation of my science and technology knowledge, I was sure there’s some bhoot in our house. I started reciting the Hanuman Chalisa verses and quietly took my steps towards the room.
I caught hold of the curtain and removed it slightly to have a glimpse of what’s going on inside my dressing room. To my surprise, I found no one (I then remembered that souls are not visible…) but could clearly hear the sobs. I could not make out who they are of, but was sure that she is a woman. A thought stroked, that why do only women sob, even in the other world!!!
Took one more step forward and turned my neck right to view the dressing table corner. To my surprise I found an extremely beautiful lady there. Dressed up in pink with very bright eyes and pink chubby cheeks, she looked like a princess. I was getting completely lost in her beauty when I remembered the childhood stories which describe angels and that they are God’s own messengers. The room was bright with her presence. I took a step back and was thanking God to send The Angel to my house, wow, I was blessed!
I was so lost that I did not notice her sobs anymore. It was only when I heard her murmur that I regained my senses back. She was sitting in a relaxed posture before my dressing table with tears flowing endlessly from her twinkling eyes. Why would such a beautiful creature cry? Doesn’t she have the charm innocent enough to impress a man or even God? Who is so ruthless to make her cry?
She was murmuring something which I was not able to comprehend.
I lent my ears more dedicatedly to her words. I was amazed. I heard her talking to my dressing table.
She was saying, to my surprise, “Mirror, Mirror, on the wall; why am I the ugliest of them all?”
I was shocked to hear her say that. She was so beautiful, captivating and charming and was complaining of being ugly!!!
I did not understand why an Angel would talk to lifeless furniture and would cry endlessly before it. The matter was really complex. She has a direct access to GOD. Why would she share her grievances with a dressing table? I was lost and amazed.
I spent a couple of minutes there thinking and trying to figure out the complexities taking place in my room, when I heard another voice. This time it was not her. Are there more angels with her? Is she not alone? I was taken back and couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw my dressing table stretching its hands towards her and hugging her. What the hell is going on? My house is bewitched, I thought. I was on the verge of collapsing, but somehow I managed to stand straight. I could not move nor could I make any calls as that would make them feel that they are being watched upon. And who has not seen the consequences of interfering with the activities of angels / souls, in some or the other movies or daily soaps. I could not do anything but stand still and listen to their conversation.
(I heard the below conversation between them... DT – Dressing Table and A – Angel)
DT: Don’t cry dear, things will be ok soon.
A: No, you always tell lies, how can they? Can’t you see what I am going through?
DT: I can, very well, see your circumstances. I have always tried to give you what you wanted. But this time its very difficult my dear.
A: Why difficult, who bars you from returning me back what is mine
DT: What is it which you call yours? Everything is given by me; you have an identity because of me. I have even given you the thought of what you think about yourself.
A: But you never gave it out of your wish, it was me who always asked for what I got.
DT: Right, my dear, here you go. At least you realize that all you have was always wanted and wished by you. So why do you weep today? When you can get all you ever wished for?
I was getting more and more absorbed in the conversation, it seemed interesting, but the purpose and the characters were still unknown. What is it that they are arguing for?
A: Good question, mirror. The answer is simple, because I do not see and get things of my wish anymore. I look horrible. I want you to reflect me back my original self. The one I see before is a fake ME.
DT: Ah! This is not false; it’s you, and you are not able to face your own self. I have never reflected anything on my own. The problem lies with you, not me.
A: It’s very easy to blame others Mirror
DT: Aren’t you doing the same, dear?
A: I have reasons to blame you. I was so happy and glad once. Do you remember your replies to all the questions I threw to you? How can you forget the days when, whenever we met, you never stopped complimenting me? Whenever I asked you “Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, who’s the most beautiful of all?” did you not always say that I am the most beautiful of all, Mirror?
DT: Yes, I did.
A: Then why do I not see the beautiful side of me any longer? You know I trust you the most. When the entire world was against me, I always looked upon you and felt that only you are the truth. You were my only companion, philosopher, guide. I blindly trusted you. I now do not feel warmer anymore in your presence, Mirror. Why did you do this to me? You know how much you mean to me. I would keep the whole world aside to have you beside me. You know that, or don’t you?
DT: Yes, I do.
A: Then why are you doing this to me? Please show me no tears and all smiles like you have always done.
DT: Are you done now? Can I speak?
A: Yes, please
DT: What is it that people value most? What can they not give in exchange of all worlds’ treasures?
A: I don’t know
DT: Do you know your name?
A: Yes, it’s LIFE.
DT: Yes, dear. You are the answer to the questions above.
LIFE, was I in my senses? All the dialogues were but a dream, I guess. People encounter or boast of encountering souls, ghosts, and angels. I can’t believe my ears…Was I really witnessing LIFE. Is Life merely a name? I was lost again.
DT: When you say I complimented you, I always looked through your eyes dear, it was always you who praised yourself, and stood for yourself. Remember, once your Granny said about that dress which didn’t look good on you?? What did you do next? You came to me darling, stared at your own self for 15 minutes and judged that this was the dress you looked your best in, and I reflected back your own thought. I do not see the same flare in you now. You are not happy with yourself.
A: Why are you so rash these days? Why do I not feel the same warmth with you?
DT: Are you the same?
A: I know I have changed. I have come to you for my rescue. I have no one as truthful as you are, Mirror. And perhaps, that’s why I can’t stand being called the ugliest by you. I love you, and want you to love me too.
DT: I love you too darling. Not loving you is like not loving your own self.
A: O, good to know that you still love me. What was the thing you were talking about of not losing in exchange of world’s treasures?
DT: Do you really care?
A: Of course, I do.
DT: What do you think you are bereft of now in spite of all your wishes coming true? What are you so sad about my Darling?
A: I don’t know but I do not feel the same. Nothing is the same, me, you or any damn thing around.
DT: The problem lies with you dear. You have lost your very essence of life. You do not like yourself any longer. You do not see yourself in high esteem as you have always done. Start loving yourself my girl.
A: I do so Mirror else why would I be so concerned about my self? I don’t understand where I have committed mistakes.
DT: That’s the catch…you have never committed any mistakes. There are no wrongs happening around. When I say that there exists a thing you can’t live without even if you have all the wealth and luck with you, it’s your own self, your own LIFE. Take its care and the things will take care of themselves.
I remember you were the happiest soul I had ever encountered. I was surprised when you first asked me “Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who is the most beautiful of all”. I was shocked because I could see that you knew the answer yourself, your eyes were shining bright with the reply and that was what I reflected back.
You remember when once you were so busy with your burden of life that you did not talk to me for a month. You faced me for only a couple of minutes in the entire day and that too just for the sake of it. I so wanted to tell you so many things but you were never composed enough to talk to. Then one day you broke and were sitting before me weeping but not paying any attention to me. After about an hour of your internal turmoil, you looked up to me and noticed yourself as deeply as you had never done before.
Remember you said…”O God, I look so disastrous….just look at my hairs…they are so badly done up and O God my eyebrows look so ugly, seems I haven’t had my threading done for years…” and you kept on looking more and more of yourself…
Dear that was the first time I remained silent and started loving you intensely. I even told you that yes you need to get your threading done, your hair cut and your hands waxed. And you rushed to get these tasks done. That was the time when you listened to me. Now you don’t care.
A: Its not that I don’t care, but I am more engrossed in things around.
DT: But still you are not happy…it’s just because you have forgotten yourself, what you have been to your self and to all the people around. I repeat you are the best soul I ever encountered. I have always been your best friend and given you suggestions, but never without your will and wish. I want you to smile always, under all circumstances like you once did. Don’t lose yourself to anything and anybody. The thing you cannot live without, my dear, is your own SELF, even if you have the entire world beside. You need to be with you, even if others are not. Give your self more time, more insight and wipe your tears now. Think your best and believe me you will emerge out as the best. Always have faith in your self. You are the most beautiful creature God created and will always be so until you think otherwise. No one but only you can move your thoughts, actions and everything which connects to you. You are so beautiful even today, aren’t you? Just look at your self.
A: Oh, yes…you are right MIRROR…I still look good. But only my dark circles.., dear…I need to get something done for them…they provide an aged look to my face. And you know that I always want to be young. But I am still the best.
DT: O yes you are, and just look at your hair, they are jet black and so thick. And your skin, it’s awesome. That day I heard a visitor of yours complaining of her skin and envying yours, she desired for a skin like yours and you know what; she said to me that she is jealous of you just because of your skin...
There was a loud laughter in the room and I was again back from the dream conversation.
DT: You look pretty when you laugh.
A: O thank you so much MIRROR for bringing smile back to my lips.
DT: Thank your self dear; I just reflected your thoughts...I am just a means, a medium to make you hear your own voice.
A: Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who’s the most beautiful of all?
DT: Undoubtedly, YOU my darling
A: Thank you, thank you, I am so happy today.
There was a series of dialogues after, which I no longer remember…but no tears for certain.
Laughter again and then a long silence…
What happened now? I peeped into my room to find the happy LIFE but to my surprise there stood only my dressing table in the bright corner of my room. The room was never so live before. Each corner seemed to talk, to laugh and was rejoicing in gay. The Angel LIFE was gone. I could see no figure now.
All words of the overheard conversation were ringing in my ears loudly and clearly. Were they real? Was it a dream? I know not nor do I want to. The only thing which mattered was Angel was rejoicing now; she did not leave my house in tears. LIFE has taught me the abstract of its being and I was thankful to whatever happened that night. After the sequence of events, surprises, insights, fears and tears; LIFE was “happy” now and “proud” of its being. Could I ever ask for more?
