My dear Bapi,
You probably know how things are with me these days. Yes, I have scaled a few more summits in my life. At the same time, a few nadirs have plunged me to their depths as well. At times, when the air gets heavy and my lungs accumulate water, I think of you and how you reacted to my circumstances. When things were bright, the brightness would spread to that smile on your face, which would beam like a sunstar with pride. And when the going got gloomy, you would listen to my situation and calmly say, always, ‘everything will be alright’. Those words never sounded true, but your conviction felt warm like a few drops of sunshine in a deep dark forest.
Talking about forests, your grandson and I recently visited the Redwood national park and hiked a trail with a soulful name: The Damnation trail. The trail was lined by thousands of redwood trees. Some were young and others were old – perhaps, thousands of years old. These old redwoods have probably seen everything there is to see during a life. Like us, some redwoods are broken, some are burnt, others wilted and a few literally gutted. Yet, most of them stand tall trying their best to reach their stars. Perhaps believing – as all old souls like you do – ‘everything will be alright’. Such a hope never sounded true, but their conviction felt warm… yeah, just like a few drops of sunshine in your eyes.
PS: We miss you. Everyday. Four years later, your physical absence doesn’t feel real. With that smile on your face, you remain safe in our hearts where you still try to assure me in that calm voice… everything will be alright. As always, I don't believe you, but your conviction feels wet in the eyes.
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