I do a random surfing of T V channels and end up watching August Rush (movie) midway. I have 'A Hundred Years of Solitude' in my hand as I cozy up under the quilt ( the book has finally started making sense to me as Ursula is blinded by her cataract and sees more then ever before.. sounds crazy .. I know). In the earlier surf I had seen five minutes of the movie before my mom switched to her channel and I sank into the page 259 of the book. Those five minutes of watching I could make out that the movie was about 'rich girl' meets 'cute boy', fall in love and they are separated. Did not interest me much. But the second time when I surfed back to the channel I find the 'rich girl' sitting at her father's deathbed when he reveals her a secret. That her child is alive and he gave him away to an orphanage. Next scene I see a cute ten year old playing guitar in a park. A musical child prodigy who eloped from the orphanage to search his parents through his music. I stop reading and watch the rest of the drama . The age old lost and found emotional theme that bollywood thrived on. I was surprised at my anxiety to see the musician parents meet their offspring, who themselves have been separated by fate, knowing very well that it is going to be a happy end. The last scene did not leave me without relief and satisfaction as if I played a vital part in that reunion. The same thrill struck me while I was reading 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' last week . I was so happy when Tariq returns to Laila after ten years of suffering even though that shouldn't be too much of a surprise in this daily soap era. But it did. I think it was the whole emotion of losing somethimg precious, vital, important and when all hope was leaving getting it back again.
The unexpected rise after the inevitable sinking was the thought that struck me . It made me want to write. The loss could be as trivial as losing your belongings on a metro rail just because you were in a hurry. Before you could realize and return, the doors shut and you are left with this sinking feeling of annoyance, regret, anxiety and most of all loss. But after that range of emotions pass there is a frantic effort to get it back. There is a mixed feeling of never finding it , a hope that you might and spurts of annoyance and regret. The mind is tormented .But if after great effort you find the right person who guides you to find that metro rail again and if you are fortunate enough that nobody displaced it. Then the feeling of finding the lost is exhilarating.This happened to a friend of mine on New Year's eve. She narrated the incident on phone and I could sense that the interim between losing and finding can flood one with emotions of all range. She ended up calling it a miracle. We all experience that in great and small measures. Interestingly as these thoughts were incubating I came across another incident when a respected elder of mine narrated his 'lost and found' story. I was horrified to learn that he lost his educational certificates on his way to the interview venue for civil services. In a daze of reaching in time he left the file in the auto. Those were the days when cell phones and even pagers were non existent.Two hours to go for the interview and he was standing in the middle of nowhere.Then he recalled that the driver was a sardar and he probably was needing some repair for his vehicle. His mind worked in the right direction found the auto at a mechanics shop. Luckily he found his file and cleared the interview too. He admits that between lost and found he could see the course of his life changing once and for all.
As I watched August Rush direct the orchestra at the climax and his parents moving towards him in the crowd . The music in my ears made me recall all these incidences and they linked up together to tell me that even thoughts that are lost can come back and give a feeling of something being found !
The unexpected rise after the inevitable sinking was the thought that struck me . It made me want to write. The loss could be as trivial as losing your belongings on a metro rail just because you were in a hurry. Before you could realize and return, the doors shut and you are left with this sinking feeling of annoyance, regret, anxiety and most of all loss. But after that range of emotions pass there is a frantic effort to get it back. There is a mixed feeling of never finding it , a hope that you might and spurts of annoyance and regret. The mind is tormented .But if after great effort you find the right person who guides you to find that metro rail again and if you are fortunate enough that nobody displaced it. Then the feeling of finding the lost is exhilarating.This happened to a friend of mine on New Year's eve. She narrated the incident on phone and I could sense that the interim between losing and finding can flood one with emotions of all range. She ended up calling it a miracle. We all experience that in great and small measures. Interestingly as these thoughts were incubating I came across another incident when a respected elder of mine narrated his 'lost and found' story. I was horrified to learn that he lost his educational certificates on his way to the interview venue for civil services. In a daze of reaching in time he left the file in the auto. Those were the days when cell phones and even pagers were non existent.Two hours to go for the interview and he was standing in the middle of nowhere.Then he recalled that the driver was a sardar and he probably was needing some repair for his vehicle. His mind worked in the right direction found the auto at a mechanics shop. Luckily he found his file and cleared the interview too. He admits that between lost and found he could see the course of his life changing once and for all.
As I watched August Rush direct the orchestra at the climax and his parents moving towards him in the crowd . The music in my ears made me recall all these incidences and they linked up together to tell me that even thoughts that are lost can come back and give a feeling of something being found !
Another lovely piece.. just amazing how you weave your thoughts and connect several anecdotes and books and movies together. Always enjoy your articles. Wish you would finally draft a novel.. Keep it up.. your bro
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