The Spirit of Midnight...

It was just another Monday for me and though I was on leave, I was still in work mode and thus was catching up on some mails and troubling my team mates for some information. I happened to chat up with one of my friends and when I asked about his well being, he replied - "I'm fine, just lonely".

For a minute I was surprised by his answer and then suddenly I realised, he is away from his home, his family and he is staying here alone. Just to make him feel better, I asked him to take up a vocation that would keep him busy. As our conversation lingered on, he mentioned that he finds peace everytime he visits Bangla Sahib. I instantly told him that it's the same for me and whenever I visit in the wee hours of the morning, the serenity takes my breath away.

Within minutes we decided to pay a visit to our epitome of solace. We had to set out by 0300 hours. I tagged along my SIL as well as she had been wanting to go to Bangla Sahib for a very long time. Before we knew, it was time for our midnight safari and off we went.

As my darling raced through the darkness, the fog and the mist, I could feel the calling. After so many tormenting days, I had to be there to keep my sanity in tact.

As we drove round the round about before Bangla Sahib, a pleasent surprise was awaiting us. As we approached the Church before Bangla Sahib, we saw a bunch of young enthu cutlets, who were stopping each vehicle that was passing by and offering them beautifully packed Christmas gifts along with Christmas wishes.

There was no way that they could have missed us. So there we were, all smiles, when we rolled down the glasses. They not only loaded us with the gifts, they even blessed us and shared that they intended to gift over a lakh gift items today.

We wished them back with equal fervour and thus the "Spirit of Midnight" engulfed us. The memorable moments had just begun. We then reached Bangla Sahib and instantly got drowned in the peaceful environ.

The wet marble floor not only numbed by soles, but it also numbed my soul. I welcomed the chill with a smile that had been eluding me for a while now. The walk around the sarovar, the aarti, the Ardaas left an impression in my heart and mind.

I begged for strength, for forgiveness, for clarity, for good health, for sanity, for faith, for closure, for belief, for happiness, for prosperity. I begged for too much.

I'm not sure whether my prayers have been heard or not but I felt at peace. The yuletide and the tranquility of Bangla Sahib came together and bound me in the "Spirit of Midnight".

I truly thank my dear friend. It's because of him that I decided to take this midnight trip and allowed the spirit to grow all upon me.

I wish each of my dear ones a Merry Christmas!! May the Spirit of Midnight engulf them as well.

Amen!!!