Where Your Heart Truly Belongs

By Riddhu Rohar

Today’s afternoon passed like any other day, and as soon as my son Manu returned from the school we headed to the market to buy new school shoes for him. While we were shopping, a cobbler approached me and said, “Madam, would you like to try these shoes too?” Before I could refuse, my eyes fell on the shoes for a moment, and I couldn’t resist. I had never seen such attractive shoes with pink ribbons; they looked marvelous. Still, I gathered the courage to say, “No, I’m not here to buy shoes for myself today. I’ll consider them another time.” Just as I was about to decline, the cobbler said, “These aren’t ordinary shoes; they’ll take you where your heart truly belongs.” His words compelled me to try them on. As soon as I put on those shoes, I thought of walking to the store’s entrance to see if they were comfortable. I barely took a step, and I felt a spark as soon as the heel of that shoe touched the ground. The entire market 

started sparkling.I continued walking, and it felt like the path was moving with me. The brilliance of that market was beyond what I had ever seen. Those shoes seemed to be showing me a glimpse of a time when I was young. The same alleys, the same shops, the same smiles – it was as if time was either going backward or I was moving forward.The market was now left behind, but the path continued. I also wanted to see how far these shoes would take me. As I walked further, I saw an event unfolding before my eyes. The decorations seemed familiar, but I couldn’t recall. As I progressed, it dawned on me that it was the decoration from my wedding day. My entire family was happy, people were dancing, celebrating, and my husband and I had a happy glow on our faces, excited about our future. From a distance, it seemed like everyone had price tags stuck to their mouths.I wanted to pause for a moment and savor those memories, but my feet were 

gradually moving forward, and I couldn’t stop them. In a short while, I left that place behind, but I was still walking. I wondered why these shoes were taking me further when all my loved ones were back there, and my heart should be there too.I hadn’t come out of that moment yet when I saw a big building again. Amidst the clouds, I couldn’t see it clearly. As I got closer, I realized it was my college, where, just like old times, my closest friends and I were sitting, having coffee and Oreos. Seeing myself so happy and energetic, I was amazed. I asked myself where this enthusiasm had been lately. The things we used to laugh about were no longer part of my conversations, and most of these people didn’t even talk to me anymore. This realization hit me hard. I turned around, thinking I should go home and check on my friends first, as I had spent some beautiful moments with them. But I had forgotten that my body was no longer under my control. I 

kept looking back while my feet continued moving forward on that path.That moment with my friends was so beautiful that I didn’t want to go back, and I kept turning back to look at them. I mustered all my strength to try to stop, but I stumbled and couldn’t stop. Suddenly, my gaze fell on a house, and my feet slowed down, leading me inside that house. Seeing a chair there, I was filled with emotions. It was my grandfather’s chair – we used to call him “Baba.”  all my cousins and I would sit there, listening to his stories. That day, he was narrating a tale of a fairy who, when pleased, would carry you away into the clouds. While Baba was telling the story, it felt as if I was indeed in the clouds.As I looked around, I noticed Baba was looking at me. I was puzzled, wondering if he could see me or if this was all a dream. He smiled and said, “Why are you standing there? Don’t you want to go?” I spoke with a heavy heart and said, “Baba, can I ask you something?” He 

replied in his usual manner, “Yes, my child, go ahead.” I asked, “Why do the stories you tell always end? I don’t want them to end. I want to sit here forever and listen to your tales.” He smiled and said, “Child, every story has to end someday. That was fairly’s story…and this is yours ” I was confused and said, “How can it be mine? Right now, you are in the story.” He looked at me as though I had asked a very childish question and explained, “Every person has their own story, my child. We are characters in each other’s stories. You can enter the stories of your loved ones, but you can’t choose when to leave. That’s why, even today, I’m alive in your stories.” I stared at him in amazement, and asked , “So, who decides when we exit these stories?” He got up from his place and went to his room, saying, “fairy decides …when she takes you, you go……I couldn’t understand much or say much. I was perplexed and asked, “Go where, Baba?” He replied gently, “To the clouds, my 

child”. he left, and the clouds scattered.  All around me, there was an eerie silence, in the midst of which, a voice was slowly, very slowly, reaching my ears. I couldn’t quite make out what the voice was because I was still in shock. Gradually, that voice grew louder, and that’s when I realized it was Manu’s voice, continuously calling out to me. I suddenly opened my eyes to find Manu looking at me, clearly worried, and all the salesmen as well. Manu was concerned, asking what had happened to me. I regained my composure and smiled, telling them I hadn’t fainted; I had just gotten lost in a “STORY “. Manu couldn’t understand, and he asked where I had gone? …I replied, “There, where my heart truly belongs.”

By Riddhu Rohar