Anjali and Payal

                                                    ANJALI & PAYAL

    To the world she had everything, a well-paying job, a husband who met all her needs, two lovely children, a beautiful house, regular holidays to exotic places and a good social life. But Anjali was not happy. The job was there but it was monotonous, with the same boring colleagues and boss. The lovely kids had incessant and never-ending demands which tired her. The inevitable waning of her good looks, the expanding figure sapping her happiness and killing her every day. There was a vacuum inside her a void an emptiness. And because she was happy outwardly she choked on her inner loneliness. She wanted to do so much more but off late she had that sinking feeling that time was running out of her hands like quicksand! 

She needed someone to pull her out of the sand in which her thoughts of helplessness and worthlessness were buried. She decided to call her friend Payal before it was too late.

   You used to be much more muchier. You have lost your muchness said Payal on hearing what Anjali had to share.

Payal was the opposite of Anjali, an average paying job, no kids, a fine husband and a decent house. Exotic holidays were so far a dream for her but she never craved or lived for them. She lived her life in acceptance and celebration.

Payal wanted to help her friend and thought of how following her passion of Running sets her free in every way. Both Payal and Anjali were short distance runners and used to run together before marriage happened. Payal coaxed Anjali to register for an upcoming event to participate in a 5k run. Anjali shook her curly head and retorted, ‘Are you mad I have not run for years.

But Payal stood her ground and and insisted that she should and will. They both giggled like their old days and on Payals vehement insistence Anjali bowed down to her friends request though with butterflies not only in her stomach but also in every part of her body!

      A daunting and a seemingly insurmountable fear of running a 5km engulfed Anjali. 

     Her husband and friends thought that she was being incredibly foolish. Why would she or anyone for that matter at this age want to run! What was the requirement?  She had a perfect life didn’t she! Questions questioning her sanity were hurled at her are you ok? Who runs at the age of 40?  Why can't you do something else if you are bored?  But Anjali was secretly amazed and thrilled at her own courage and strength. It felt like being the rebel finally taking charge of her emotions and wellbeing and she secretly admired herself for that.

 She took a leap of faith and believed in herself. One month later she was filled with a murderous rage as she huffed and puffed and sometimes even felt like a fool as the efforts challenged her in every aspect. She was sleep deprived and exhausted with the early morning breathless running sessions, aching legs, the job and house chores and the kids. The distance of 5 km seemed like a really long distance to her. Thoughts of giving up filled every microcosm of her being.     

    ‘IMPOSSIBLE, thought Anjali. ‘Only if you think so’, said a voice in her head. 

She thought of connecting with fellow friends who were facing not exactly the same but similar issues.  And she was surprised to know that such a tribe of her own friends existed who behaved normally on the outside but were actually living a very boring life on the inside. They connected and heard each other’s story only to realize that they are not alone. Often lending an ear or wiping a tear the bond grew stronger and the spirits soar   The desire to kill the monotony of their lives gave them a new direction. They all registered for the running event and took it as therapy for their souls. The conversations from self-pity and unhappiness switched to running shoes, running watches, running gear, running routes, running events, running this and running that!   

    Inexplicably to her she began making progress. She would smile often, enjoy her work and be very forthcoming to the needs of her kids. And the body she loathed now became her temple and taking care of it was her mission. 

    She began liking herself more and more. The secret she realized was not what the mirror told her but how she felt about herself!!!

   The big race day arrived for all the friends and they were ready. With faith in themselves and in each other they all crossed the finish lines one after the other in their own time and space. 

They all admired each other for they knew each other’s journey of life. There were tears in their eyes but of a sense of achievement of overcoming their self-limiting beliefs. Tears of happiness of finding strength and support in each other of the joy of finding a new passion to ignite their souls, Running.

The medals dangling around their neck showed that they had found the purpose of their life.

Payal stood their capturing her friends moment of triumph while Anjali proudly flashed a smile across to her friend declaring that she has found her muchier self.And as they hugged each other they both knew life now had a clarity and a purpose.

We all have an Anjali living inside us sometimes during our life making us feel miserable and hopeless. And what we need is a Payal who can walk across and show us our strength and make us believe in ourselves and find our muchier self. 

Be the Payal in somebody's life... 

Anjali And Payal .