“Take this gift, the Cup, with humility, it holds the ocean in it”

They ran a thorough check on her -- her papers, her belongings and even inside of her body --the very content of her. She shivered and found herself propelled forward. What force propelled her, she did not know. It was all mechanical. Gates closed behind her. She felt the intense ache in her right ear deafening her on one side. The officer in front asked her something. She did not hear a thing. She showed him her papers. The officer stamped the papers without any further questions. She had now officially crossed the boundaries. She was in a delicate space now. She looked back. She could see her beloved friend through the small crack. Her hands waving.
She heard her name being called. She ran towards the sound. She ran to gate 36A. There was no such thing as gate 36A. Confused in grief she wandered through the empty spaces of the hall. And she found herself again before the officer who had stamped her papers earlier. She had crossed the boundaries again. She was in a space she had left before, where she should not be. Officer was kind enough to guide her to her gate -- Gate 11. She has now reached the no point of return. She seated herself in her pre-assigned seat 36A.

She looked outside the window. The sun was setting. The golden hue spread across the sand-dune. Each sand particle shimmered gold. A Firefly twinkled before her eyes and she heard it uttering words of Kabir

Aag Jo Lagi Samand Mein, Dhuan Na Pargat Hoye

So Jane Jo Jarmua, Jaki Lagi Hoye

With the ocean set ablaze, The smoke yet manifests not

Only the one who gets burnt, Envisions the heat of loving thought

24 hours later, tens of thousands of miles apart she gazed through the window pane. Her only contact with the outside world. The tip of the earth was snow covered. The cold cold land she was to step on was hers officially. The land that, that lacks the warmth, warmth of home was hers. Her heart was heavy as the plane that carried her began its descend.

Time was nearing 2.30pm, over the horizon the sun lingered, preparing for setting, leaving the golden hue all over. At a distance clouds rose from the earth itself and touched the skies. Runway was clear of snow. And something was clearing within her heart space. Something was stirring in her heart.

Words of her friend rose from her heart to her beings. She remembered what her friend had said at the airport. She had said “Take this gift, the Cup, with humility, it holds the Ocean in it”

She bowed her head to her friend Beth in gratitude. Namaste dearest friend she uttered as she held the ocean in her cup.