Guided by the lights from above, he moved aimlessly on soft sand with his footprints creating his past and waves swiping over his lost desires. Moon, with his brightest smile, looked down upon his thoughts ridden loner wandering upon the beach. Alone on the island, he felt the chills of cold ocean breeze kissing his face. Enjoying his solitude, he continued walking with his mind enveloped by the realities and illusions when he saw someone like him dwelling in the same silence of the silver night. Moonlight making ocean looks like a silver water embedded with millions of diamonds and their reflection on a girl with alluring brown eyes, captivating smile, with her long white dress and open hair flowing gently with the wind, she resembled none less than a Greek Goddess. Mingled in his thoughts and desires he went ahead and said:
“Isn’t it a beautiful reality?”
Looking at a stranger she said, “Maybe. Or maybe just an illusion that for once transport you away from the reality.”
He smiled and said. “What if this illusion is the reality of life?”
In her confusion, she asked, “Can illusions ever be a reality?’’
“What if life gives you illusions so that you try to make your reality the way your illusions are, that is beautiful.” He replied sitting beside her in her solitude.
“But how far do you think that illusions are beautiful.”
Contemplating on an entrancing night he replied, “To an extent where my illusions are my escape from the known world.”
“And what if it doesn’t give you your escape.”
“What if it does like it is giving now.” He beamed.
Looking bewildered she said, “But just now you said that it is a beautiful reality.”
Cutting her midway he said, “And also that illusion is the reality of life.”
They both silently watched the illusions and the realities of life and landscape. They got lost with the wave’s rhythm and the dance of the starlight upon its form. Moon once again looked at his beloved and tried to reach back to her. The two loners quietly watched the eternal love story of the ocean and the moon.
“Do you know about the love story of the ocean and the moon?” She asked
“Yes, I do.”
“And that is an illusion for me.”
“Is love an illusion for you.”
“Maybe. But in this case, it is the reality and not an illusion. It has a scientific theory behind it and not a story written by the Cupid with a bow and arrow in his hand.”
He smirked and said, “Yes, it has a scientific theory but who says that the Cupid has not aimed his arrow on the moon and his beloved. Maybe Cupid is the reason why scientist ever tried to research the innate connection between the moon and his beloved.”
Ignoring his words she said, “What if I just ignore whatever you said and cling to my belief about the reality and illusion.”
“What if you don’t, maybe you can unveil the cloak of your belief about the reality and illusion. It is way deeper and connected than it appears at the surface.”
“I never thought that I’ll have such a conversation with a man like you.”
“What if tomorrow morning this night seems to be an illusion?”
“Then maybe I’ll buy your philosophy of illusion and reality.”
Smiling he replied, “I’ll be glad that there will be someone, except me who will see real life in a jar of illusions.”
“What if this philosophy of deception proves to be an erroneous decision of my life?”
Looking into her deep brown eyes he said. “Who says illusions are deceptive? It is the blend of imagination and wishes with a touch of reality.”
Taking away her glances she said, “I don’t want to say this but what if you are right.”
“Then you just have to feel it yourself. All these twinkling stars speak much more to us than we can ever imagine. They listen, they speak, and they guide us in the most mysterious ways. We just need to hear their whisper, feel the rhythm of the waves, and confide in them to discover ourselves.”
While sitting there eight years back she found a stranger who made her look beyond the reality.
“Though I am still unable to understand the chords of illusions and reality, yet I have found my new beliefs. He was right when he said, “What if tomorrow morning this night seems to be an illusion.” Indeed it turned out to be my favorite illusion. For his words untangled all the complexities of life. He showed me the way that is open to everyone yet nobody takes a look at it.”
For those who find illusion in reality, and reality in illusion… your life is magical.
Having written this on a piece of paper, she rolled it and pushed it inside the bottle. With smile and hope that someone might get it, she threw it in the ocean. What if this paper makes someone feel what she felt eight years back.