She

I do not recall when I first met her.Nor do I need to.But what I do know is that she was always by my side.I may have seen her in the picture on the wall.Or in the photograph in the magazine.She may have been the crooner on radio or the news-anchor on television.Whatever she was,she was a constant inspiration.She was in my thoughts.She ruled my dreams.She gave shape to my imagination like nothing else.She could have been my friend,she could have been my lover,she may have been my constant companion.My life was inextricably linked to hers.How and why I do not know.It is just that I had no life distinct from hers.My self-image had no existence without her presence in every pixel.From the time I learnt I had hands and feet,that is,I gained consciousness,I expected her to appear magically.And she did too,in many ways,in several forms.
I first met her when I was about ten years old.She was my classmate in school.We had been cast alongside each other in the annual school play.It was a trying experience.Because neither of us could remember our individual lines.And then,as we were about to take stage,we could hardly stop ourselves from having uncontrollable fits of laughter.Yet as I looked into her eyes and delivered my lines something happened.I cannot tell you what but time seemed to stand still.Only she existed and I.And we were both beautiful people blessed with all the gifts of the kind god.
The next encounter happened a good five years later.We were on an excursion to the north bengal hills.As this unfamiliar girl and I walked side by side under the moonlight there was someone who waved his magic wand.The girl had crystal blue eyes,long golden hair.She was very comfortable with herself it seemed.I was trying to steal a look at her while she was gazing at the moon.Suddenly,she spoke, "The moon looks pretty doesn't it? I was too dazed to react .But I knew immediately that it was she.The girl who had given me hope.The girl who had that intangible quality that each man seeks.In his own way.
I did meet her,finally.Her name is Melissa.Like me she is from the distant hills.She is beautiful but in an unobtrusive,understated way.She is a very independent person who truly has her own unique take on everything.Very few people have this quality.She is fond of good music just as I had wished she would be.However what makes her my greatest love is that she is my best friend.That is what I had wanted her to be.She understands me.She never takes me for granted.Yet she has great respect for the strange,horrible person that I am.When I look into her eyes I know that I am with the person meant for me.I fully believe in true love that conquers all else.I believe that for every woman is created a man and for every man a woman.And Melissa is she.