This Island : Don't Think Twice

This Island : Don't Think Twice

Real love stories never have endings

“Real love stories never have endings”. Richard Bach. Could it be some kind of mysterious, even divine continuity? Some of us at some point of time may have met someone who we felt like we could spend an eternity with. It is supposed that the idea of finding a soulmate is a common concept all around the world, though, of course, everybody has different ideas about what that might actually mean.

The following quotes reveal different points of view and bring perspective to different ideas of love and might make one think about one’s own relationships and what one might want from them.

1.   I want to be your soulmate, even if I don’t believe in them. Colleen Hoover

2.   A bond between souls is ancient – older than the planet. Dianna Hardy

3.   Giving someone a piece of your soul is better than giving a piece of your heart. Because souls are eternal.  Helen Boswell

4.   Our universe grants every soul a twin- a reflection of themselves - the kindred spirit – And no matter where they are or how far away they are from each other- even if they are in different dimensions, they will always find one another. This is destiny; this is love. Julie Dillon

5.   I couldn’t imagine that I’d ever fall in love again like I had with Gideon. For better or worse, he was my soulmate. The other half of me. In many ways, he was my reflection. Sylvia Day

6.   Have you ever felt really close to someone? So close that you can’t understand why you and the other person have two separate bodies, two separate skins? Nancy Garden

7.   …and when one of them meets the other half, the actual half of himself, whether he be a lover of youth or a lover of another sort, the pair are lost in an amazement of love and friendship and intimacy and one will not be out of the other’s sight, as I may say, even for a moment… Plato

8.   She lives her life like a flame; a dance of purposeful chaos.… Her enchanting light can guide you and quell your fears… She’s hot; warming those who respect her and burning those who don’t… She is a flame with an unforgettable glow… A weak man will try to dim her luminance… but her soul mate will take pleasure in fanning the blaze. Steve Mariboli

9.   Our souls already know each other, don’t they? It’s our bodies that are new. Karen Ross

10.               You have half our gifts. I the other. Together we make a whole. Together we are much more powerful. Joss Stirling

11.               People give flowers as presents because flowers contain the true meaning of love. Anyone tries to possess a flower will have to watch its beauty fading. But if you simply look at a flower on a field, you will keep it forever, because the flower is part of the evening and the sunset and the smell of damp earth and the clouds on the horizon. Paulo Coelho

12.               There was something in her eyes that made me trust her. Maybe it was because they held the same cynicism, the same world-weariness I saw in my own every morning when I looked at myself in the mirror. Melika Dannese Lux

13.               A soulmate is the one person whose love is powerful enough to motivate you to meet your soul, to do the emotional work of self-discovery, of awakening. Kenny Loggins

14.               If I know what love is, it is because of you.  Herman Hesse

15.               When you’re in love, you’re capable of learning everything and knowing things you had never dared even to think, because love is the key to understanding of all the the mysteries. Paulo Coelho

16.               The greatest love stories are not those in which love is only spoken, but those in which it is acted upon. Steve Maraboli

17.               What are the chances you’d ever meet someone like that? he wondered. Someone you could love forever, someone who would forever love you back? And what did you do when that person was born half a world away? The math seemed impossible. Rainbow Rowell

18.               I recognized you instantly. All of our lives flashed through my mind in a split second. I felt a pull so strongly towards you that I almost couldn’t stop it.  J. Sterling

19.               If grass can grow through cement, love can find you at every time in your life. Cher

20.               True love is finding your soulmate in your best friend.  Faye Hall

21.               What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined to strengthen each other, to be at one with each other in silent unspeakable memories. George Eliot

22.               In all the world, there is no heart for me like yours. In all the world, there is no love for you like mine. Maya Angelou

23.               People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that’s what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. Elizabeth Gilbert

To some, the concept is a literal, embellished, metaphysical one. Some people believe that a soulmate is someone they knew in another lifetime, or maybe even in many lifetimes. To others, the idea is more metaphorical. It represents a special person whom one can connect with on a spiritual level. To some, soulmates reflect our very own true natures. To others, they are simply those who deserve the very best from us. Soulmates can be romantic partners, best friends, or even just wonderful people who pass through one’s life and make a genuine difference,

soulmates-neverpart

soulmates-neverpart

Slideshare

Twenty six year old Sheila Kumar in Kolkata meets Abel Freeman, a fellow countryman living in Scotland, in a chat room, and against all the odds, finds a soulmate in him. Five years of intermittent internet chats churn up emotions and expectations that result in the need for a meeting.  After an inevitable, passionate encounter, Abel mentions his darkest secret to her from the very bottom of his heart.  Is Sheila sophisticated enough to handle it like a soulmate or is she only human enough to err?

Get started: A slideshare

Website: http://soulmates-neverpart.weebly.com/

Life is meant to be beautiful

Life is meant to be beautiful.  One grows up with hopes and dreams of things turning out for the personal best. One tries one’s best to be positive and make the most of life. One is an optimist as long as can be. And yet, sometimes what begins well doesn’t progress as nicely as it possibly could. Challenges come up frequently and they have to be handled well each time. If one is able to weather the storms and keep up the tempo of courage and perseverance, one might find that things have gradually changed for the better for them in the long run. It is all about how one is able to cope with things that seem tough. There may be a point of time when one may feel like giving up, and then, it’s as if, let me try just one more time! That is the spirit that often gets you on board!

In my book Soulmates Never Part, Sheila Kumar lives a normal life until things go out of control for her. The situation goes on to become so bad that she needs support, a support that is non-judgmental and undemanding and something that casually uplifts her emotionally. It is difficult a period of her life and no one she actually knows in real life is proper enough to share her life’s dilemma and her pain. She isn’t able to vibe with anyone or trust anyone with her situation that is emotionally over burdening her. And no, she is not on the rebound. She isn’t consciously looking towards any attachment, let alone love or a relationship. She wants to feel better, she wants to look after herself well. She doesn’t want a nervous breakdown. She wants to live.

Does this sometimes happen to people in real life too? Do people ever wish that there was just this ‘someone else’ who would pop out of the blue and be there for us when we need it? Someone who would be understanding, non-judgmental, undemanding, distant and yet close enough to be trusted? 

Maybe that is just a human need of a circumstance and there is no dearth of good humans in the world, both real and virtual. I have been told by many that they are actually on the internet looking for that ‘total friend’ that they have never had. That is the reason why they keep adding friends hoping to find the right person. However, no one seems to hold for long enough. The expected vibes don’t happen. And yet, sometimes they do and friendships happen that last. But love? No, that doesn’t happen easily and not often. Not the real thing anyway.

Soulmates Never Part travels through time, circumstances and situations that bring two people, absolute strangers, together. Soon, Abel hints that they are Soulmates and Sheila learns the fact slowly. What begins with a quiet curiosity slowly progresses through understandings, love, trust, faith and is shattered hopelessly. But then, if love is true and strong enough, it finds its way one way or the other, doesn’t it?

Why would somebody go in for a long distance relationship? Can it be as satisfying as a normal one? How easy or difficult can it be? 

Soulmates Never Part, through Sheila and Abel’s connection, takes a shot at finding an answer.

Cheers!!

Cheers!!

It has been a while! I have been busy, mostly with my writing, working on my website and also catching up with many a things.

Since I last wrote here, many a festivals have come and gone, and Birthdays and Anniversaries enjoyed. I have made many new friends, and unfortunately lost, a couple of them too who left untimely for their heavenly abode. I guess that's life. Time is precious and so are people. And hence, we should make time for people, especially those who need us.

The response to my book has been lovely, and what I especially like is what my readers have to say, in their reviews as also in their messages to me on my Author Page in my Facebook.

Many of them have questions like: Is it a true story? Is it your story? Is love so strong? Are soulmates for real? Others bluntly ask me what my next book is going to be about! One of my readers said, “I still do read, and I still do believe in true love, no matter what has happened to me. And your book has been a good one for me!” 

I am working on my next book now. I have been overwhelmed by people liking Soulmates Never Part and that has been the greatest encouragement.

Soulmates Never Part is available at my website: http://soulmates-neverpart.weebly.com/buy-the-book.html

To order copies of Soulmates Never Part you may also call directly on the toll free number: 0800 197 4150 (Domestic India) or +44 1908 309250 (International).

Happy reading & Keep smiling!!

Maha Shivratri

Maha Shivratri is one of the most important festivals for Indians.  It is believed to mark the day when Lord Shiva married Goddess Parvati and became a householder from a hermit, muniwar.  

It is also believed that on Maha Shivratri, Lord Shiva became Neelkantha or the blue-throated one by willfully swallowing the deadly poison that came up during the Sagar Manthan, the churning of Kshir Sagar or the milky ocean. The poison was so deadly that even if a drop reached His stomach, which represents the universe, it would have annihilated the entire world. Hence, He held it in His neck, which turned blue due to the effect of poison. Maha Shivratri is therefore also a day of thanksgiving to Lord Shiva for protecting mankind from annihilation.

One other story associated with Maha Shivratri is that once Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu had a bout as to who among the two was superior. As the fight aggravated, a burning pillar or lingam appeared between the two of them. A voice from the lingam resonated that the one who is able to find the end of the lingam would be judged as the superior of the two. So, Lord Brahma went towards the upper end of the lingam and Lord Vishnu towards the lower end. But neither of them was able to find the end of the burning pillar. After a while, Lord Vishnu realized that the lingam had no end and he stopped searching for it and admitted defeat. Lord Brahma, however, decided to lie that He had found the end of the lingam and He brought the Ketaki flower to testify His lie. At this, the all-knowing Lord Shiva became extremely outraged. He cursed Lord Brahma that He would never be worshipped on Earth. This legend explains that Lord Shiva is the superior of all the Gods and that He is the beginning Adi of everything and He has no end, He is Ananta. It is believed that it was the day of Shivratri when Lord Shiva manifested Himself first time in the form of a lingam.

Legends are many but the fervor is impeccable. An immensely special day. Har Har Mahadev.

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Everything good starts with caring

The following picture is a lovely post that captured the interest of many says "To make a difference in someone's life, you don't have to be brilliant, rich, beautiful or perfect. You just have to care."

The data showed as 1,032,404 people reached and 1,750plus people have liked the post within two months. I think it is amazing. Everything good starts with caring!!!

Henrietta Frye says "Just knowing someone cares means the world".

Barry Schoch says "Not just now and then but 24/7 365 days a year".

Denny Straub says "It's just that simple".

Bobby Oostveen Kyle says "This might be exactly what you're looking for".

Julia Hedrick says "Money can't buy love u got to have it in your heart".

Lee Swekla says "I'm sharing this because it reminds me of an early classmate Sammy Scola from St. Ann's school".

Wandalynn Pilgrim says "Those words are so true.  Show someone how much you care about them, today and everyday!!!"

Tom Walker says "Caring is the best place to start".

Let this inspire us, even if in some small, little way, to care more, bring in good things and make this world a better place to live in.  Let us try and leave a legacy of good and positive sentiments to the coming generations. When I read the newspaper every day, the standard thought that passes through my mind is that the world needs more love, patience and understanding. And surely, all that starts with caring.

http://soulmates-neverpart.weebly.com/

I received the following story on my Watsup this morning and found it to be one of the best I have come across in a while. The Salted Coffee He met her at a party. She was a gorgeous woman, so beautiful and intelligent with many men trying to woo her, and he was just an ordinary guy, nobody paid attention to him. At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him, she was surprised but being polite, she agreed. They sat in a coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything and she was uncomfortable, raring to leave. Suddenly he asked the waiter, “Would you please give me some salt? I’d like to put it in my coffee.” Everybody stared at him, so strange! His face turned red but still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it. She curiously inquired about the salted coffee?” He replied, “When I was a little boy, I lived near the sea, I liked playing in the sea, I could feel the taste of the sea, just like the taste of the salted coffee. Now every time I have the salted coffee, I always think of my childhood, think of my hometown and my parents. She was deeply touched and she also spoke about her faraway hometown, her childhood, her family. It was a sweet conversation and also the beautiful beginning of their story. They continued to date. She found that actually he was a man who meets all her demands; he had tolerance and was kind hearted. He was a good person and she had almost missed him! Thanks to his salted coffee! The story was just like every beautiful love story, the princess married the prince, and they were living the happy life… And, every time she made coffee for him, she put some salt in the coffee, as she knew that’s the way he liked it. After 40 years, he passed away, left her a note which said, “My dearest, please forgive me, forgive my whole life’s lie. This was the only lie I said to you—the salted coffee. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time, actually I wanted some sugar, but I said salt. It was difficult for me to change so I just went ahead. I never thought that could be the beginning of our communication! I tried to tell you the truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to do so, as I had promised not to lie to you for anything….... Now I’m dying, I am afraid of nothing so I have to tell you the truth, I never like the salted coffee, what a strange bad taste… But I have had salted coffee all my life! But since I knew you, I never felt sorry for it. Having you with me was my biggest happiness for my whole life. If I can live for the second time, I would still want to know you and have you for my whole life, even if I have to drink the salted coffee again.” There were tears in her eyes. One day someone asked her, “What’s the taste of salted coffee?” She replied, “Sweet.” Actually...love is not to forget but to forgive, not to see but understand, not to hear but to listen, never let go of good friends and relationships even though sometimes we have to taste salted coffee.!

http://soulmates-neverpart.weebly.com/

Happiness

Happiness is more than an emotion. It is a state of mind. Happiness leads to contentment. "Sometimes happiness can come very  simply, purely, merely if one is ready to embrace it with open arms."

This is a quote from Soulmates Never Part. It comes in the form of a sudden realization to Sheila when she is least expecting it and she is almost caught off guard.

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A Prologue

A Prologue is usually added by an author if it is absolutely necessary to enhance the plot, bearing in mind that it has to have a point to make, and make it well. Not all books, stories or plots need this little assistance or to make this kind of an introduction. I have met people who have confessed to me that they never bother to read the prologue!

Well, I decided that Soulmates Never Part definitely needed a prologue and I penned it, crisp and brief, of just two and a half pages, when I was half way through my writing of the story.

Following is a glimpse of the content of the first page of the Prologue:

"Abel Freeman could see it, imagine it, and visualize it every time he wanted to. He could conjure up the incident in his mind at his whim and fancy, and that too, in enormous detail. However, there were also times when the scene inconveniently emerged on its own. It was during those times that he felt awkward, disturbed even, as he had no control over it when it annoyingly cropped up in his mind while he did not want it to. It made no difference whether his eyes were open or closed as the illusion was right there, ever ready for him to spot in his mind’s eye. The occurrence, with its constant, repetitive appearances, was etched in his psyche too deeply to be erased, and he often wondered whether he would ever be able to put it behind him. Importantly, it had been a freak little gamble and he had come out as an undisputed, lone, inscrutable winner. What had initially been an uncomplicated, moderately welcome release for him was slowly becoming an obsession. Abel was aware that it was, bit by bit, driving him crazy and the weirdest thing about it was that he wasn’t even present when the incident had actually happened. He was not complaining though. Freedom had come easy to him."

What happens is when you start reading the book and find that the protagonist is someone else, you know at the back of your mind that something else has previously happened to someone somewhere that also has an interesting connection to the story. A background of sorts, and yet, you don't really see it until springs up out of the blue!

http://soulmates-neverpart.weebly.com/

A Dragon in Love

I am sharing one of my poems today that I had penned about three years ago. It is one of my favorites as it is a poem with a tale to tell. At the same time, it speaks of a timeless kind of love that is pure but unachievable, and yet patiently, devotedly waited for, forever. This poem captures the essence of wanting to feel loved. It flows on a brook of enchantment on its journey to the ocean of beauty, where it shows its aesthetical waves and syllabical foam. Love and fantasy all the way...

A Dragon in Love

Centuries have gone waving by

And I have roamed all over from sky to sky

Looking for my 'lavender love' for years and years

Facing the attacks of a million of spears

Fireing my way through the woods

Terrorising beasts in warying moods.

It all began when I spotted a colony of humans

Some were lovely and some were demons

I spied upon a gorgeous and beautiful woman

And stole her away with no intension of a ransom

I flew off with her to my cloudy abode

I was sure she would be enchanted by the mode.

But she never did smile at me

So dipped in sheer unhappiness was she

I fell in love with her with passion and glee

The way I was, she never really saw me

To make her happy I did my utmost best

I worked to give her treasures, crest after crest.

Then I realized that it was but a futile exercise

Some things just dont work like clockwork mice

After deliberations and thoughts on a new moon phase

I sadly picked her up and through the sky did race

Carefully, I placed her back on her golden bed

Gave her one last glance, and from there I forever fled.

Still, through the centuries I wait and wait

Hoping she will change her mind and be my mate

I cling on to the memory of her in her lavender gown

Dying myself in that hue even though I was silvery brown

Maybe I will see her some day before very long

If not, let me fade away like some sad old song.

http://soulmates-neverpart.weebly.com/ 

 

Is love desperate or does desperation bring love?

http://www.slideshare.net/ShampaSharma1/can-one-find-ones-soulmate

Love is perhaps the most sort-after emotion in this world. It is God's best gift to mankind and every person is actually born with it in his heart. It is only later on that as one grows up circumstances shape him and he learns to imbibe numerous other emotions. And yet the need and want for love is always there. 

The question is is love desperate or does desperation bring love?

Is love desperate? Some would say that if a love is desperate, then it is not actually a proper, secure kind of love. But yes, in fact, love is at times desperate and needs that security of a complete return emotion to flourish smoothly. 

Let's say you love someone and you are not sure whether he loves you back with the same gusto. Wouldn't your love then be desperate until you have achieved the satisfaction of knowing that you are loved back the way you want? But would that make you love any less? This desperation could be positive and make you work on your relationship better. On the other hand, it could make you negative and give up, or work up with a little unfairly to achieve your goal. All is fair in love and war, it is said. Love is great and it if and when it hurts, it hurts great. Hence the desperation.

Does desperation bring love? Yes, sometimes it does when you are on the verge of giving up, it blooms out of the blue and you begin to take and interest which clicks like never before. 

In my book, Soulmates Never Part, it works both ways. Life is like that, isn't it? Sometimes there are no clear answers and yet the paths have to be taken.

http://soulmates-neverpart.weebly.com/

A last try often works

http://amzn.to/1l7mazq

Life is meant to be beautiful. One grows up with dreams of things turning out for the personal best. One tries one’s best to be positive and make the most of life. And yet, sometimes what begins well doesn’t progress as nicely as it possibly could. Challenges come up frequently and they have to be handled well each time. If one is able to weather the storms and keep up the tempo of courage and perseverance, one might find that things have gradually changed for the better for them in the long run. It is all about how one is able to cope with things that seem tough. There may be a point of time when one may feel like giving up, and then, it’s as if, let me try just one more time! That is the spirit that often gets you on board! A last try often works. Never give up on yourself.

In my book Soulmates Never Part, Sheila Kumar lives a normal life until things go out of control for her. The situation goes on to become so bad that she needs support, a support that is non-judgmental and undemanding and something that casually uplifts her emotionally. It is difficult a period of her life and no one she actually knows in real life is proper enough to share her life’s dilemma and her pain. She isn’t able to vibe with anyone or trust anyone with her situation that is emotionally over burdening her. And no, she is not on the rebound. She isn’t consciously looking towards any attachment, let alone love or a relationship. She wants to feel better, she wants to look after herself well. She doesn’t want a nervous breakdown. She wants to live.

Does this sometimes happen to people in real life too? Do people ever wish that there was just this ‘someone else’ who would pop out of the blue and be there for us when we need it? Someone who would be understanding, non-judgmental, undemanding, distant and yet close enough to be trusted? Maybe that is just a human need of a circumstance and there is no dearth of good humans in the world, both real and virtual. But love? No, that doesn’t happen easily and not often. Not the real thing anyway.

Soulmates Never Part travels through time, circumstances and situations that bring two people, absolute strangers, together. Soon, Abel hints that they are Soulmates and Sheila learns the fact slowly. What begins with a quiet curiosity slowly progresses through understandings, love, trust, faith and is shattered hopelessly. But if love is true and strong enough, it finds its way one way or the other, doesn’t it?

http://soulmates-neverpart.weebly.com/

Being realistic

Soulmates Never Part has caught the interest of some of my potential readers and they say that the title actually has had them intrigued. The word Soulmates strikes a chord with them and the Never Part is hope-giving, they have opined. I do get some queries about ‘Soulmates’ and what the term actually stands for.

I have some of them having questions that are pretty interesting. For some it is at a very personal level, situations and emotions that they have or are experiencing, and what’s more, is that it is very important to them. For others, it is some sort of an inquisitiveness that they find compelling. There are a few others who wonder if soulmates really happen to be and they would want to know. While discussing on a personal front, they share their thoughts and look for answers. What comes out is invariably a thought provoking and stimulating deliberation.

Human nature is very complex. What makes us immensely happy today may not make us as happy the very next day.  It is not that we have changed drastically during that period of time. It is mainly the circumstances and our needs have become different from what it was the previous day. For example, let us say we like to listen to a particular song today. Tomorrow we may just want to listen to some other song. Today we have no idea what song we are going to be crazy about tomorrow. It is not about good or bad, or positive or negative. It is just the way it is. The question here through this very small and simple example is that, if we don’t even know our own selves very well, then how do we think we can know another human being so well?

This lack of knowledge often causes us to take people for granted. This in return increases our expectations from their behavior which many a time fall flat and have us wondering what went wrong? Why don’t we give other people the required space and not go in for preconceived notions about the way they will carry themselves in particular circumstances? If we could do this, then we would perhaps be more liberal towards others and kinder to ourselves.

Soulmates is a very deep kind of relationship, and understanding one another is of paramount importance. Love comes from the heart and is entwined with emotions. Trust and faith are necessary and it comes from love and hope that is very positive.

So far so, good. You are in love and would want it to be that way forever. But does that really happen? No, because there are situations that invariably come up and circumstances change so that challenges may crop up, and here a certain amount of understanding of each other is essential for life of go on smoothly. Wisdom or intelligence, call it what you may but combine it with patience and give the challenge a go!

The challenges faced could be internal between the two people, or it could be external, coming from some outside source or person. It could be due to health reasons or it could be a totally imaginary issue. Still, what is important is the way to understand it and then, of course, to deal with it.

My standard counsel to most of the people who have a too naive or impractically great expectations from their soulmates or husbands or partners has been that they should tone down their expectations to being perfectly realistic and be more liberal with their understanding of the said person and also of the situation or challenge in hand that is causing the problem. ‘They haven’t done this, and they haven’t done that!’ Why complain and be negative? Why not look at the things they have done and appreciate them? ‘And then it is they said this and they said that!’ Why not do and say things that bring out the best in the person you love? After all, can’t live peacefully without them and any such tension causes you immense misery! Of course, it is easy to say and put it in black and white but life isn’t that simple, is it? Only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches!

In Soulmates Never Part, in one of the chapters, Sheila, who is based in Kolkata, has her own notions and preconceived ideas about her long distance friend, Abel, who is based in Scotland, who she is about to meet for the first time. He meets up to her expectations and even more, which makes her deliriously happy, satisfied and sated. And then, something happens that comes as a rude, evil shock to her and she is too stunned to move for a while. When she gets back her senses to a working condition, what does she do? And what are the consequences of the action she takes?

There are many ways to react to a challenging situation. Different people would react differently to a similar situation. However, most situations between two people can be solved with a positive persistence, patience and understanding. Panic and intolerance is most often the beginning of the deterioration of any relationship. And, of course, being realistic about expectations is sagacious. 


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The most sort-after emotion in the world

One of my readers recently discussed my book Soulmates Never Part with me very energetically touching many aspects of the story. She said that she liked it immensely and could almost identify with Sheila Kumar’s feelings of longing and desperation. Life is busy and hectic but there is always a space for a good, understanding and non-judgmental sort of friend. Another reader said that she wished Abel Freeman was for real and not just a fictional character and we had a nice, positive sort of laugh. Love is lovely, but it is neither easy nor funny. After all, it is the most sort-after emotion in the world.

Soulmates Never Part highlights a special, long-distance relationship between two people who find solace in each other’s company.  Usually, it is easy to relate to or love a person one has met physically, heard of from others or even has seen in the magazines.  But when one can relate to a stranger whom neither she nor anyone she knows has met, and they still can connect, trust and keep in constant touch so that their long-distance relationship blooms into a special kind of love that stands its test of time, is in brief, what the soulmates in Soulmates Never Part are like.

To put it very briefly, two people meet in a chat room on the internet and are piqued with each other. And that is how it starts for them!  Sheila Kumar, working in the capacity of a personnel manager in Kolkata is miserable as she has been through a recent, failed relationship and a consequent abortion.  She distributes her time between working in Nathan Paul’s office and looking after her ailing mother, Belinda Gomes.  Abel Freeman, in Edinburgh, on the other hand, has just become a widower and he lacks the peace of mind as he has a tiny hand in his hateful wife's death. 

Over slow but continuous chats, they relate to each other and go through various emotions, ups and downs. As time passes, emotions and expectations churn up that result in the need for a meeting.  After five years, Abel makes a trip to her city and Sheila makes it to his hotel room where they have an inevitable, passionate, love-filled union.  Abel is now in no doubt that he has her absolute love and trust, and on an impulse, he discloses to her his most disturbing, hoping of course, that Sheila will understand him and his uneasy secret.

However, Sheila reacts too hastily by walking out on him instantly.  Later on, when she analyses him calmly, she comes to the conclusion that Abel couldn’t have committed the crime he claimed he did and regrets her impulsive reaction.  He was probably only teasing her, a test which she had miserably failed.  She tries in vain to contact him again but gets no response from him.  She now realizes that she loves him unconditionally, and yet, has wronged him. Having no choice, she gets on with her life, never keeping him away from her heart.

Soon she gets an offer to act in a film and since she is desperately in need of a change, she takes it as a challenge and succeeds.  It takes her to the UK for a premier show and she considers this as a God-given chance to visit Abel who she knows lives in Scotland.  Sheila digs up Abel's Mumbai address with the help of her producer, Tom Mores and meets with the Robinsons, who are his family.  She gets Abel’s Scotland address from them and lands up at his gate.

Abel is warm but maintains that he is now married to Susan, a woman she finds in his house. He hopes that Sheila will continue with her successful career and meet someone good enough for her.

Sheila throws herself into her work once she returns to Mumbai, but her love for Abel doesn't decrease. Three years pass away again and she is still a sought after actress, as also a spinster very much in silent love with Abel. 

Sheila wonders how long she can go on like this, when he suddenly lands up at her doorstep and they come together beautifully. Abel confesses that he had kept a track of her throughout and he has explanations for all his past actions, including why he had lied to her about having married Susan. 

The story spans a decade and the narration brings out their continuous connection until the soulmates finally, socially, and everlastingly find each other. 

http://soulmates-neverpart.weebly.com/

Change! That is the word

Most good, difficult and challenging stuff comes into life with the definite want and need for a change. A change is always desired and it is accompanied by the hope that the situation will get better, though in reality there is always the chance that the reverse might happen. Still, for those willing to take a chance do have a chance, and if things go right, the change that comes to them might be the change they had hoped for or had dreamed of.

In Soulmates Never Part, Sheila at a certain stage in her life needs a change and she looks for it. She takes a decision and goes on with the tide that it leads her to. It drops her at a point that is an immensely challenging issue for her as she has never done it before. Should she or shouldn’t she? A glimpse of the situation through pages five to eight follows.

“You are the best Personnel Manager I have ever had, Sheila,” he told her, being overly lavish with his words. “I would go on to say that you manage people better than I do!”

The warmth of the compliment unexpectedly spread through her, and Sheila was glad that his cell phone chose to ring at that precise moment. 

“I’ll deal with this file before I wind up today, Mr. Paul, and I will also put down instructions on my desk,” she said after he had answered the call and got up, holding a file. Once she had unfolded herself, she stood taller than his wife at around five feet four inches plus two-inches of her high heeled sandals, looking cool and elegant, and Nathan Paul suddenly had a weird feeling that he was going to lose her sooner than later.

“See you after you get back, Sheila,” he said anyway, as she moved towards the door, “Do make sure that you have a good time and get back refreshed.” 

An hour later, Sheila cleared her table, put down the instructions for the coming week as she had promised her boss she would do, so that her substitute would be able to manage well in her absence, and then she checked her computer.  When she was ready to leave, she picked up her purse and left her cabin, shutting the glass door softly behind her.

It was a Saturday, and normally a half-day in Nathan Paul’s comfortable office. But Sheila was used to working late, usually till seven in the evening even on Saturdays, if the circumstances so demanded. Today, however, she was lucky that the work load was lighter and it would be splendid to reach home early for a change.

Change!  That was the word, Sheila told herself, her heart suddenly beating fast, as she waited for a bus to show up at the bus stand.  As she was leaving early today, she had to use public transport in place of the company van that she normally commuted on every day. Well, this was a change too in a way, wasn’t it! Was change really on the cards? Was she finally going to be happy?

Everything had changed since that call from Abel Freeman came in last evening. Sheila felt an unfamiliar thrill run through her as she recalled his clear, masculine voice on her cell phone.  She suppressed a smile that threatened to appear madly on her lips. Soon she got inside the bus that luckily, was taking her route.  It was great that she did not have a long wait at the bus stand.

Taking a seat beside a plump middle-aged woman, she looked out of the window.  Inwardly, Sheila had been unusually happy throughout the day but she had carefully maintained her regular cool, distant attitude in the office.  Essentially, Abel was a name that she couldn’t share with anyone, and though she hadn’t even physically met him as yet, he had hinted that they were soulmates.

The richness she had felt ever since their relationship had surfaced in her life was a miraculous shot in the arm for her at this stage of her life.  Abel had emerged out of the blue and had dispelled her worries, anxieties and loneliness, all in one go, and had given her the confidence to face the world with poise, the urge to move on. It was a push she desperately needed.

“Abel, oh Abel, that deep voice of yours, the words you used and the thoughts you have expressed, all of them haunt me so,” she whispered to herself as the bus speeded on to take her closer to her home. “I am so glad that at long last, we will be meeting each other tomorrow!”

Her gaze traveled across the western sky that was dotted with clouds and was held by the wintry looking sun, so pure, so lovely, and so impossible to touch.  Sheila felt that that was how her love was - Out of reach, unquestionably warm, and as certain as the celestial ball.

“It is time we met, Sheila,” Abel Freeman had said when he had rung her up from Mumbai yesterday, “I am dying to see this woman who has had me enchanted, held my interest for five continuous years now.  I have wondered a million times who exactly you are, what are you like and countless other such things, and every time, I ended up holding an enigma. I want to see you Sheila, more than anything else in the world.”  His voice had been earnest and compelling.

http://soulmates-neverpart.weebly.com/

Slideshow

Love is not a mediocre thing

One of my favorites quotes for a long time has been, ‘The world is full of mediocre things, don’t make love one of them’. I have found that there are others too who have quoted something on similar lines and so here it doesn’t really matter who actually said it initially or who the quote should be attributed to. The bottom-line is it has a universal appeal and is an inspiration in itself.

The quote, its words convey a thought, a sentiment and a meaning with depth that holds love as one of the most special emotions of the world. This is, of course, true whether it is acknowledged or not, mentioned or not, said out aloud or not.

Moving away, for the moment, from romantic love which is maybe the most acknowledged and spoken about kind of love, I would like to ponder on the various other possibilities of love. It is as vast as the sky itself and I believe, if, as the quote says, we don’t, due to our hectic schedules or whatever other reasons, make love a mediocre feeling, it can make the world a better place to live in. On one hand it can bring about a worldly closeness and understanding and on the other, it can enhance a personal satisfaction of loving and being loved in return.

Love is a feeling that is not underrated but is surely less acknowledged and less appreciated. It is taken for granted in most cases. There are too many kinds of love than can be counted. Actually, love can be felt for all. Both animate and inanimate. People, places, plants, animals and nature.  Humans and animals have the tendency to love and value love.

One of the simplest examples is a dog’s faithfulness for his master. Does that faithfulness come without love? In return, the master’s acute affection for his pet! Is that possible without love? I remember our pet dog’s anguish when dad passed away. The Labrador just wouldn’t let anyone take dad away and he had to be chained to a grill at the verandah to move the body. Later on, he wouldn’t move away from the bed for months and nothing could coax him out of his grief.

Similarly, I remember a family friend who was broken down with sadness and had spent thousands or Rupees in the treatment of his Alsatian which had cancer and looked after it with ultimate devotion until its last breath. That is the emotion called love and it can only be felt. Love in the heart does make one richer.

We know of love in various forms. We have the patriotic kind of love, the examples of which roll in one after another in our history books. The love between siblings, parents, friends, colleagues and so on only enable us to have a better understanding of ourselves and of others, allow for a tolerance to be bred that is very much necessary to make this world a better place to live in.

After all, what does one really want at the end of the day? Something to be smiling about? Does riches and success really have the capacity to bring in a true smile unless love is in the vicinity, in whatever form?

In Soulmates Never Part, there is a portion of the story where Sheila has attained success as per her standards but is she able to really enjoy what she has. Is she able to go to bed with a smile and wake up looking forward eagerly to the next day?

I do think we need to give a thought to love in its many forms. It would make us better human beings and help make this world a lovelier place to live in.

Writing an introduction

Introducing a story, a plot or a book to its potential readers is not very easy and has to be given sufficient thought. The introductory write up has to be interesting enough to hold the attention of the persons reading it. It should provide a beginning of sorts and yet leave the continuation wide open to the imagination of the readers. They should be able to explore possibilities if they like. The main aim of the introduction is to make the potential readers get interested enough to find out what is going on in the story. The briefest introduction to Soulmates Never Part is in the next paragraph.

Twenty six year old Sheila Kumar meets Abel Freeman, a fellow countryman across the oceans, in a chat room, and against all the odds finds a soulmate in him. Five years of intermittent internet chats churn up emotions and expectations that result in the need for a meeting. After an inevitable, passionate encounter, Abel mentions his darkest secret to her from the very bottom of his heart. Is Sheila sophisticated enough to handle it like a soulmate, or is she only human enough to err?

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