Fate

Fate: something that unavoidably befalls a person

If you were to use it in a sentence, you’ll get something like; Death is our ineluctable fate.

I’m going to use this same word to define how my life has been up till now, and heck, I may give my own definition to this word in the end and use it in a sentence too.

It was my fate to be born to the two most beloved people, Meghraj and Rita, circa 1982. The journey began pretty smoothly. I was the younger one so fate brought me lots of love and affection. Fate also brought me all the used up stuff of my elderly siblings. My brother’s tees and jeans. My sister’s books and bicycle (a ladies one at that). And more.

In 1984, when the most disastrous industrial tragedy occurred; The Bhopal Gas Tragedy, fate kept me and my family alive. But 4 years later, fate decided to take someone away from me. My father. He was diagnosed with total kidney failure. For years, 7 to be precise, we tried fighting what fate had in store for him. Mom fought dedicatedly. Brother fought bravely. Sister fought caringly. And I, like a child, fought ignorantly.

Later, it was fate that brought the four of us to Ahmedabad. We got away from the clutches of evil. We came to a place where we all found our identities. My mom found a sense of freedom and happiness. My sister found a sense of openness. I found a sense of new life. But what my brother found was a sense of how insensitive blind trust can be. Fate wanted us to suffer more. And we did. But we stayed together.

Fate took my brother back to Bhopal.

Now it was fate’s turn to be good to us again. My sister found the man of her life. She got married. Has two lovely children. And is happy with her life.

Fate took my sister back to Bhopal.

So it was me and my mom now. And my awesome Maa-si (I prefer calling her Dad-si because she’s so just like my dad) who began living in with us for most of the time. And I found the sense of being a part complete family again.

It was time for fate to play some games with me. It kept me disillusioned in life as what I wanted to be. I failed miserably in living up to my parents’ expectation of becoming a doctor or an engineer or an MBA (failed twice belling the CAT). But finally fate smiled on me. It told me, “When you’re so pathetic at everything else, shouldn’t you just get into advertising?” And I obliged, smilingly. Fatefully, I got into MICA.

Fate took my mom back to Bhopal.

Then fate brought me trips, crushes, joys and new friends. My wonderful and amazing friends. Hanuwant, a wise friend, Devja, a chirpy friend. Huzefa, a crazy friend. Kopal, an e-good friend. Aalekh, a careless friend. Khushboo, a heart-warming friend. Naren, an inspiring friend. Kapil, a brotherly friend. Amit, a friend I take for granted. And Anisha^, a friend I love.

But one of the most memorable trysts with fate was how I found the love ^ of my life. So, I’m all set to go move to Mumbai. I meet this girl. As beautiful at the full moon on Chakratheerth beach. Fate wickedly, rather cupidly, smiled at me and asked me, “Son, so what now?” I spoke back to fate,” As of now, my dear fate, I can’t surrender to you. For I, have surrendered myself to her.”

Fate took me to Mumbai.

Fate took her to Bangalore.

I’ll take my fate to where she is. For I know, it belongs with her.

So my meaning of fate to whoever reading this right now is; an act of life.

And in sentence formation; you are my fate.