<p>The hall was full. Guests waited with bated breath to welcome the hero, and when he did, there was a loud cheer and he was welcomed with a thunderous applause.<br /><br /></p>.<p> The twist to the tale was that the hero did not know that he would be greeted by a hall full of people, that too his very own kith and kin, friends and well wishers. The operation was called Mission Secret; and it was a well kept secret, ‘he was not to know!’<br /><br />The occasion was the celebration of the hero’s’ 80th birthday and (though he looked not a day older than 70), the octogenarian was euphoric in greeting, hugging and blessing the many loved ones who had gathered to greet him. Once the camaraderie settled down, the guests too settled down to watch a movie clip, that had a series of snapshots unfolding the life of the hero through eight decades. The photos depicted our hero from the time he was a contemplating child to the handsome young man to meeting the love of his life, (now the heroine) through marriage and their blissful union that spread joy and happiness not only to themselves but also to the extended family of siblings, cousins, nephews and nieces.<br /><br />His zest for life and passion for work, the infectious smile and the fond relationships the octogenarian had built over the years had a charismatic appeal that had struck a chord in many. Each snapshot was a vignette of the by gone days that brought back nostalgic memories. As the life story unfolded to the background score of old time melodious Bollywood numbers, it was difficult to envisage that the hero was the man sitting and watching the movie along with us! The directors, script writers and editors were the children, their spouses and grand children.<br /><br />Birthday wishes flew in, in the form of videos, from the members of the family that had spread its wings to discover new horizons. It seemed that the distance had only deepened the bonds of oneness and connectedness. When the movie came to an end, we were told that this moment was now the new beginning for our hero! <br /><br />How true, I thought, each day is the beginning of a new era in life. Each and everyone is a hero/heroine in his or her own life stories. Each has a story to unfold, a crisscross of the good times, the not so good times, the hard times and at times the grand experiences of life, such as the one we had just experienced, which was so full of genuine love, joy and happiness. As I watched the scene unfold before my eyes as a fortunate guest, (fortunate I say as I was part of the family of the few friends invited), I figured that at the end of the day what really matters is the weave that connects one and all with love, compassion and happiness. Happy endings are just the beginning, and happily ever after may be a bumpy ride, but if the goal and destination is ‘happiness,’ it is sure to come by!</p>
<p>The hall was full. Guests waited with bated breath to welcome the hero, and when he did, there was a loud cheer and he was welcomed with a thunderous applause.<br /><br /></p>.<p> The twist to the tale was that the hero did not know that he would be greeted by a hall full of people, that too his very own kith and kin, friends and well wishers. The operation was called Mission Secret; and it was a well kept secret, ‘he was not to know!’<br /><br />The occasion was the celebration of the hero’s’ 80th birthday and (though he looked not a day older than 70), the octogenarian was euphoric in greeting, hugging and blessing the many loved ones who had gathered to greet him. Once the camaraderie settled down, the guests too settled down to watch a movie clip, that had a series of snapshots unfolding the life of the hero through eight decades. The photos depicted our hero from the time he was a contemplating child to the handsome young man to meeting the love of his life, (now the heroine) through marriage and their blissful union that spread joy and happiness not only to themselves but also to the extended family of siblings, cousins, nephews and nieces.<br /><br />His zest for life and passion for work, the infectious smile and the fond relationships the octogenarian had built over the years had a charismatic appeal that had struck a chord in many. Each snapshot was a vignette of the by gone days that brought back nostalgic memories. As the life story unfolded to the background score of old time melodious Bollywood numbers, it was difficult to envisage that the hero was the man sitting and watching the movie along with us! The directors, script writers and editors were the children, their spouses and grand children.<br /><br />Birthday wishes flew in, in the form of videos, from the members of the family that had spread its wings to discover new horizons. It seemed that the distance had only deepened the bonds of oneness and connectedness. When the movie came to an end, we were told that this moment was now the new beginning for our hero! <br /><br />How true, I thought, each day is the beginning of a new era in life. Each and everyone is a hero/heroine in his or her own life stories. Each has a story to unfold, a crisscross of the good times, the not so good times, the hard times and at times the grand experiences of life, such as the one we had just experienced, which was so full of genuine love, joy and happiness. As I watched the scene unfold before my eyes as a fortunate guest, (fortunate I say as I was part of the family of the few friends invited), I figured that at the end of the day what really matters is the weave that connects one and all with love, compassion and happiness. Happy endings are just the beginning, and happily ever after may be a bumpy ride, but if the goal and destination is ‘happiness,’ it is sure to come by!</p>
