TRANSITIONS

The last time I had met her - more than nine years ago - she was a young girl of maybe 18 or less probably. But I had observed her closely (I ve had penchant for observing people since quite young). She was my playmate then. Oh yeah, people wondered what she could find interesting enough in me and I in her. But we got along fairly well. Now that I think of it, even I am amazed.

These nine years have brought more upheavals in her life than a normal person faces in a lifetime. Multiple deaths, marital problems, huge responsibilities and what not. All this time I was well aware of it. Got to hear about it all the time. But somehow for nine years I never happened to meet this playmate of mine again. She was just a memory, and whenever I heard of her, I imagined her as the same schoolgirl, had last seen her as.
And no wonder I did not recognize her at first. But she did. Life has changed so much around her, and so has my opinion of her. Rather after meeting her I was forced to update it.
 She still has those streaks of energetic youth, oh shez too young to lose them, but wht really caught my attention was that she still has them.

Probably this is what one really calls a zeal for life.

And not that she hasn't matured. I said I am good at observing ppl. She knows her responsibilities and her difficulties. But she stands strong. We all make mistakes; she had her fair share too. But she was also positively happy with life. And her struggles.

She was a buddy, and I loved  and hated her as one. Now I respect her and admire her as one does a lady.

And I wonder - Is it that life serves you only what u can take, or you eventually learn to take whatever life serves you ?