Wind Behind the Sails!
Part 1 story so far
Aarav dreams of being a writer despite his father’s relentless doubts. Trapped between passion and pressure from family, he almost abandons his craft. But Vidyut, his younger brother and biggest believer, persistently sends his work to publishers. Years later, Aarav becomes a celebrated author and is at his book signing event proving that dreams survive when you believe and persist with it.
Part 2
“Could you let me know your name, please?” His favorite author’s voice pulled him from his reverie, and he looked at her. She was looking at him with kind eyes, her pen poised on the first page of her recently released book, ready to sign. He was at the book signing event for her latest book.
“Aarav Sinha”, he said. The author smiled, wrote To Aarav Mishra, who is part of my fan family, and added her signature.
Aarav thanked her and moved on. He was used to having such visions where he was a successful author and was signing his books for his fans. While some might call it hallucination, his younger brother Vidyut believed them to be manifestations. Vidyut was his engine, rudder, and anchor all rolled into one. He should have been named Lakshmanuman, as he was the perfect combination of Lakshman and Hanuman.
Aarav exited the bookstore. Vidyut was supposed to meet him here. It was unlike Vidyut to commit and not show up. He leaned on the wall opposite the bookstore and flipped through the book.
“Bhaiya!!” rang out a voice. Aarav looked up to see Vidyut sauntering up to him.
“Sorry, Bhaiya. Traffic was unusually heavy, and I couldn’t make it on time. How did the event go? Did you get the book signed? Very soon you would be signing yours too. Tell me, did she look pretty up close?” Vidyut asked with a wink.
Aarav showed no expression and just stared into the distance. Vidyut was familiar with this scenario and knew exactly what had to be done. He held Aarav’s hand and led him down the series of escalators at the mall to his car. He drove straight to Nehru Park and parked the car. He led Aarav to their favorite bench since childhood under the peepal tree.
Vidyut sat down, but Aarav stood staring intently at the rows of trees and shrubs at the park. Vidyut did not bother him for fifteen minutes and then asked, “Are you ok, Aarav?”
Aarav turned with a serene, calm, and peaceful expression on his face and smiled at Vidyut.
“I am worried, Aarav. For the last thirty minutes you have been lost and listless. Now you seem to be at peace. I knew exactly what you needed and hence brought you here. This park, the peepal tree, and this bench always calm you down.”
“No, Vidyut, it’s not these. You know the visions I have of being a successful author and doing my book signing events. Today, something hit me when the author wrote fan family. I have been writing since childhood, and you have tried hard to get them published. I write for the joy of writing, and the words seem to have a way with me and vice versa. But as life moved on, your Bhabhi and my son, Kiran, came into my life.”
Vidyut sensed Aarav was on to something and didn’t interrupt.
Aarav continued, “My biggest blessing in life has been their entry. It gave me a sense of purpose. With our middle-class status, it needed a lot of effort from everyone to better our standard of living. Your Bhabhi has been the most amazing and understanding partner and has done her share to support me. Her interest lay in cooking, and I was glad I was able to set up her homemade pickle business. As you know, it is doing very well, and I am so glad for her. When she goes to her hometown, she walks with pride. She can’t pronounce entrepreneur yet and hence introduces herself as a businesswoman”, Aarav said, smiling but with so much pride in his voice.
“And Kiran, he has been the fulcrum of my life since the day I set eyes on him. It seems like it was only yesterday that I saw him for the first time at the hospital, but now he is already in his first year of his M.B.B.S. I have done everything in my power to enable him and provide him a platform, and he is doing me proud”.
“When the author said fan family, I realised that in those visions I had, I didn’t see my family. The people I love the most in the world weren’t around. While I didn’t see them in those visions I had, today, when I consciously visualised what I wanted, I saw Bhabhi and Kiran growing, sprouting branches, leaves, flowers and fruits. That was so satisfying.”
Vidyut was mesmerised by what he was hearing from Aarav.
“If everyone wants to be trees, who will be the soil? I choose to be the soil for my family. What better place for my signature than to leave its imprint on their lives. Reaching your dream gives you a sense of achievement, but enabling your loved ones to achieve their dreams gives you satisfaction and purpose. Their life chapters are my best writing. You know how our father couldn’t publish his writing but aren’t we the best chapters he has written. While father didn’t approve my dream is becoming a writer, I am sure he is proud of the human I have become”.
Saying this, Aarav got up from the bench and walked out of the park with the joy of finding his mojo. People at the park were wondering who this man was who had been talking to himself for the last thirty minutes. Didn’t they see Vidyut? Was Vidyut too one of Aarav’s hallucinations, or was it a vision of his conscience speaking to him?
