I finished watching Modern Love in May. I have been meaning to write something about it since then but now is perhaps the best time as ordained by the divine.

The show is very well made and sweetness inducing. It is available on Amazon Prime and I highly recommend it.

The show comprises of about 30 minute long episodes of eight different stories about people living in New York. Modern love, the prime tv show has been dramatized from NYT’s column by the same name. The final episode gives the viewers a glimpse of what’s up in the lives of the people we saw in previous episodes.

Watching the final episode, I started wondering about all the people that I’ve met in my life and the ones who no longer configure in my story. What remains is just memories. I found myself strangely nostalgic and ruminative.

Each human being has such a unique story. When we see such stories being represented on the visual medium, we get hooked. The basis of these stories is, of course, human life.

In each person’s life and story, they are the protagonist. Each and every person they encounter is just supporting cast.

I wonder that does anybody think of how a particular character’s life story must be shaping up? Or are we too occupied to delve into such trivial matters?

I often ruminate over what must have become of a character I encounter in a book or a show or movie.

Did they really get a happily ever after?

Did they manage to reconcile with that loss?

Did they have another adventure in life as the one that was shared by the storyteller with us?

I extend this chain of thought to the people whom I’ve lost to life, i.e., the ones whose life has led them to a new journey wherein, my part is over. Their memories however remain.

It is quite fascinating to think someone who occupied so much mental (and in some ways physical) space in the play of your life may now be completely anonymous.

Think of that ex or that childhood friend you’ve lost touch with.

Perhaps that Uber driver with whom you had a genuinely good conversation.

That fellow you met and got acquainted with in the train journey?

The one you promised to keep in touch, but you didn’t?

As I write this, I am reminded of a Sikh couple I encountered on my train journeys to Uttar Pradesh as a kid. Imagine meeting the same people in the same train coach on different train journeys! When I recognized the kind lady, she smiled and said, “the world is a small place.”

Is it really?

Or is it not? 🙂

Isn’t it fascinating to think that no one’s story gets affected even when someone walks away?

There may always be a void, but we move on. Irrfan Khan left his body, but roles will still be written. Characters he could’ve portrayed would be portrayed by other people. We may not even notice the absence much after a while. We can only rejoice the memories.

And so when someone walks out your life, or you do, do remember that the show goes on. The roles get assigned to different people and what is meant for us to experience comes one way or the other.

I recall Dr Wayne Dyer‘s words:

“Consider being like a mirror, and reflect what comes into your life without judgement or opinions. Be unattached to all who come into your life by not demanding that they stay, go, or appear, at your whim.”

Christopher Nolan wrote a letter to all the Batman fans after he’d completed the epic Dark Knight Trilogy. In that letter, one particular line caught my attention:

“I will miss Batman. But I don’t think he will miss me. He isn’t particularly sentimental!”

Maybe the people whom I’ve lost to life may no longer miss me or think of my journey as I think about theirs. Perhaps they are like Batman—not particularly sentimental.

No matter what happens to anyone’s story once I’ve taken an exit, and whether or not they think of me, all I wish is that they have a happy ending. Don’t you?

Do a recall of all the people who showed up as characters in the play of life. It’s all been perfect. That ex who left you was meant to teach you, self-love. The disciplinarian parent meant to instil order. The people who stayed are also part of the perfect law of life.

Here’s a thought (affirmation) for you to ruminate over and connected to our theme today:

Everyone I need for my life journey will show up, and they’ll be perfect in every way for whatever need you to have at that time.

Best,
Kushagra

SUGGESTIONS FOR THE WEEK:

• I have a podcast by the same name as this blog up and running by the grace of Shri Krishna. I’ve uploaded two episodes. Check out the Anchor page and choose your favourite platform to listen to it if you like.

• I read this beautifully relevant, engaging and funny book called ‘The Humans’ by Matt Haig. Here’s a review attached below. I absolutely recommend you check that out.

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Book reflection: The Humans by Matt Haig ⠀ ‘How to Stop Time’ was the first Matt Haig book that I read last year. The storytelling by Matt was so immersive that I knew I’d be reading more of his works. The Humans, I realise, was a fantastic choice for the second book. ⠀ The book is a satire, part commentary on the state of human affairs, positively delightful and uplifting. I cannot recall the last time I was laughing out loud as much as I did while reading this book. 😁 ⠀ The Humans is narrated by an unnamed alien who’s in the body of a mathematical genius and professor. The alien has been assigned the task of stopping mathematical progress from happening on our planet. The way the alien discovers and looks upon human customs, habits, relationships, emotions is magnificently captured by the author. ⠀ The professor’s wife Isobel, the cranky and suicidal son, Gulliver, the dog Newton, the friend Ari and even the homeless Winston Churchill are brilliantly written and impactful side characters. ⠀ The book will not just make you laugh but tug at your heartstrings, as well as make you reflect on how you live life. ⠀ Huge credit to the author that the two books that I’ve read by him are so different to each other, one might think they were written by two different people! ⠀ Strongly recommended. 💙💛 . . . . . . . . #readersofinstagram #booknerd #bookbloggers #bookrecommendation #booksbooksbooks #booksofinstagram #whattorread #bookrecommendations #bookreviewer #bookreview #kindlereads #kindlebooks #bookish #read #reader #bookstagram #bibliophile #matthaig #thehumansbymatthaig #thehumans

A post shared by Kushagra Singh (@krsnapresthaa) on Aug 5, 2020 at 5:12am PDT

• I like sharing some of the music pieces with you because good music is really a treat from God. We should make use of it. Check out this soothing piece from Forrest Gump.

A blog by Kushagra on nostalgia and an ode to our memories. Check it out.

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