Unexpected Connections: Strangers on a Journey"

It was a Friday in our office that never felt excited. My colleagues and I had planned to engage in some fun activities. But our plans seemed to flop due to a lot of work on our desks. By the time we finally escaped for a quick meal, we had devoured our food hastily, eager to steal a moment of relaxation.

After eating, we had some free time to talk. I was with Divya, who began sharing one of her stories that intrigued me. She was recalling the days when she had just finished school. After completing school, she had to travel from Gorakhpur to Varanasi for her BHU exam. Her family agreed, and they decided to stay at her mom’s cousin’s place. 

During this trip, she had some other plan in her mind. It was like she wanted to meet a friend, Aditya, who lived in Varanasi at that time. So, he told her to let him know before reaching Varanasi.

She took the exam. And on returning home, she met Aditya. As she was recalling the moments she enjoyed, I could see how it felt to her. Her eyes lit up as she opened her heart to express the whole thing. 

Despite the scorching summer heat, they had a great time together. As she said that day, Aditya turned out to be a natural entertainer who could make a statue laugh. I could see her expression, indicating that the day had turned out just as she had imagined, or perhaps even better.

As evening approached, it was time to leave Varanasi. They squeezed onto a crowded train to go. Somehow, they managed to settle in. Luckily, Divya found a seat where she could rest. Climbing up, she hoped for a moment of relaxation. She had no sleep in her eyes; the time spent with Aditya had left her feeling happy. After a few hours, she came down and joined her family. Her family was busy conversing with another family who had two elderly parents and two children, including Saurav, who was her age. That compartment was full of students who took the same exam, so everyone was talking. In the midst of all the chaos, they exchanged numbers and stayed in touch after the journey.

The funny thing happened when her father got engrossed in conversation with some other passengers but kept a watchful eye on his daughter among the kids.

Nobody can make sense of how strangers unexpectedly enter our lives and remain for a long time.