Tale of the two

"This is true happiness: to have no ambition and to work like a horse as if you had every ambition. To live far from men, not to need them and yet to love them. To have the stars above, the land to your left and sea to your right and to realise all of a sudden that in your heart, life has accomplished its final miracle: it has become a fairy tale" - Lines from Zorba, the Greek

Part 1: North East India

One beautiful morning, in a serene and humble homestay in the hills of North East India, She sat on the porch engrossed reading a fancy looking book. Meanwhile in the kitchen of the homestay, the lady of the house finished her daily household chores and went on to prepare two cups of her favourite tea. On being offered the tea, she happily received the elegant teacup with an equally pleasant and aromatic smile. The lady of the house realised that the tea had distracted her out of the book and that the time was apt to sneak in a conversation. And then they both started chit chatting where the two ladies conversed to know more about each other. The discussion went on from recognising the happy married life of both to the common joyful preferences of simple joys of life. The lady of the house told her "You are different, you are more like us. Simple, positive, calm and smiling. Other people who visit us from the Indian mainland are so restless, chaotic and demanding. Your husband is surely a lucky man." To which, she silently responded in her mind, " you haven't met my husband, if you meet him you will realise how lucky I am. He is far more calm and alive.".

Part 2: Meiringen, Switzerland

One beautiful morning, in a plush hotel room in Central Switzerland, He pressed the send button of his email and went on to dress up for honouring a lunch invitation from one of his departing employees at his Swiss Office. The old man had worked in his office for around 33 years and during his farewell dinner, in an emotional and inebriated state, he had invited this Indian colleague to his house for a lunch. From the hotel to the old man's house was a beautiful walk surrounded by hills. The quiet hills reminded him of his childhood days back in India; for those were peaceful and irresponsibly great days of his life.  Finally when he reached the house, the old man and his wife greeted him at the gate and in response, he handed over the the wine bottle he had bought at a store in Bern. The lunch was sumptuous and homely and the following discussions even more welcoming. And in the evening before the sunset he asked for leave from the family thanking them for the lunch and the conversation.  The wife of the old man went in and brought two elegant Swiss watches for him and handed him as farewell gifts and said one for your lucky wife who has such a charming man as her husband. To which he smiled and silently responded in his mind "you haven't met her, she is one bubbly, jovial person. I am far more luckier that way".

And coincidentally after the sun had set for the husband by the Swiss lake and the night had crawled in for the wife sitting on the porch, they both gazed at the open sky enjoying the play between clouds and stars while serendipitously their earphones hummed to the common melody of Beatles playing....

There's nothing you can know that isn't known
Nothing you can see that isn't shown
There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be
It's easy

All you need is love
All you need is love
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need