And he left what he wanted to get WHAT HE WANTED…

Clark went to a darker place where it was less rushy.

He was sad…confused..directionless…at the same he was seeing something only visible to him.

His train was late, and on that summer night…each passing second was a year to him. 

“Are you really about to quit everything? Friends? The charms? The fantasy life? The ones you love to spend time with?” So many questions were popping up in his mind.

He was on the verge where there were two roads.

The one he was socially (family and society) supposed to go, suggested by plenty. Which was a safer, straightforward, and to-the-point pathway. That means there was less uncertainty and friction.

As for the other, there was nothing like sureness or clarity. It was bumpy. The second road was utterly unacceptable by his family and social circle. In short, it was a road least anticipated, least appreciated, and full of hurdles, disappointments, failures, and hopelessness.

“If alive, we’ll meet,” he heard a passerby saying this to someone on a phone call.

Sometimes even the very common or lame things…can lead us somewhere, especially when we are struck.

The same happened with him.

That simple phrase, “If alive, we’ll meet,” got his attention, and he created his version in his mind.

“If successful, we’ll meet again to stay together longer and enjoy endlessly.”

The sentence his mind formulated at that time fascinated him. It was a beautiful motivational type inspiring thought.

But…

“Is that practical? Can this happen? If yes, how? Are you capable of it? Do you have any plans to make it come true? Are you willing to take all the responsibility on your shoulders and realize it?” were the few questions that promptly came to his mind.

The train was still late. 

As he was away from the main congested area of the station, there were fewer people and less light.

Clark looked to both sides.

One where there were so many people haphazardly going around, under full bright lights.

The other was where he was standing.

Here were very few people…and they had to use their sources like mobile phone torches for light. Otherwise, it was full dusky.

The train arrived.

He considered rushing to the main area to board.

But he didn’t.

Perhaps he wanted to stay longer in that city or maybe wanted to see what happens if, instead of racing, he stood still and let others run. 

Probably there was no reason at all.

He stayed exactly where he was.

First, the locomotive passed by him…then its respective compartments…one by one crossing.

He didn’t miss the train.

What stopped in front of him was a caboose.

He had an open ticket. (Open ticket means no specific seat, wherever you find an empty seat (luckily), sit there as long as someone claims it)

“Wao, the whole train compartment is almost empty I can sit wherever I want even use births,” he thought to himself entering the second last compartment.

After adjusting his luggage, he chose the window seat and looked at where he was standing before (as the train hadn’t started yet).

An exciting thought hit him…

“Very few people were standing where I was, to wait for the train… it was dark and no light there. Nothing was visible.

Yet, it was an open space…with no restricted mobility, unlike the main congested area…very little noise… I could hear my thoughts clearly…and enjoy apparent FREEDOM.”

Only because he was separated from the crowd and stayed there firmly and didn’t rush to the main area where everyone was.

He enjoyed the freedom of selecting the seat of his choice despite the open ticket.

It gave him more clarity…

He learned, “it is hard not to do what everyone else is doing…not to be where the crowd is…not rush where the majority is heading to…hence get what they are getting.

And if you persist a little longer…if you keep doing what your inner says is right…forgetting about the instant rewards and success, and tolerate the darker times…unimaginable things can occur, giving you the freedom of getting what you want.”

Though such a stage doesn’t come quick and easy. But despite all the uncertainties, difficulties, hardships, hopelessness, unfruitful efforts, and loneliness, one thing is SURE…that in the long run, it works.

The train started…it was not his first travel in that direction…

The train was the same, the destination was the same…But what was different that time…

This travel was leaving behind everything he used to have…

It was the beginning of an unseen journey.

The train started…from the window, the bright station lights were slowly fading…until it got full dark.

And Clark left…