Celestial Love

19

The three were always together. Together before time began. No one knows how long. Infinite past. Entrapped in the same body and soul, a larger being. Just aimlessly floating in space. Not knowing what destiny had in store. And on a fateful night under some extreme pressure the three, Aftaab – the Sun, Hertha- the Earth and Qamar – the Moon came into being along with many others.

Separated from their common antecedent, they were now on their own. In a flash they were all apart and floating away. When the larger being disintegrated, Aftaab got the biggest part and the maximum energy. He tried his best to not let go of Qamar – the moon, his friend and Hertha – the earth, the love of his life. But at that unfortunate time Aftaab could not hold on to the two whom he loved so intensely. Aftaab absorbed most of the pressure and shielded Hertha and Qamar from the forces . Hertha and Qamar held each other tight and they drifted away together and remained together. They witnessed the magnanimity of Aftaab as he grew and kept absorbing all that had disintegrated from the larger being. They were in awe of the power that Aftaab yielded. That time was chaotic and scary. Shattered pieces were colliding and newly formed orbs were getting crushed and newer orbs were forming. Orbs with discs and orbs of gasses were forming. Some pulling some repelling. Aftaab did his best to restore equanimity. He protected his favourite duo from harm. Aftaab managed to keep them within a distance where he could see them, know them, nurture them. After a lot of struggle and destruction, serenity prevailed. Aftaab had changed now. He was full of fire and his heat could be felt hundreds of light years away. He was now the master of the stellar system in which Qamar and Hertha were just two among million other beings.

Often Aftaab came to visit Hertha. They spoke little. Tonight lying down on a round bed by the poolside they slept with heads close to each other and bodies apart. Gazing up in his own galaxy Aftaab could not hold on to his emotions and confessed to Hertha –

“I am what I am because of my love for you Hertha. My heat, my shine, my existence would mean nothing if it could not give you life. All my glory and power exist only because of you my soul mate – Hertha. Once upon a time, we were together but we drifted and today I yearn for your companionship and would give away all I have just to be with you Hertha. That night I was happy that I was the most powerful. I had envisaged you and me to be together for another eternity. But then the forces began to pull you away from me, I gave it all I had to stop you. I tried not to let you drift even an inch from me, but I am sorry I could not keep you with me. I screamed and I cried but in vain. My fire is my anger at being parted from you. I sometimes desire to douse my fire and come to you but I can’t even do that. I come every day hoping you would break the shackles and come to me forever. I have been waiting for all these years but I know the day will surely come when we will be together again.”

Hertha did not interrupt. After Aftaab had finished she began-

“Glory is your destiny, Aftaab. You are the masthead of this system. You shine not because of your love for me but you need to fulfill the destiny of this universe and your own. You are the life giver and I happen to be just one of the receivers of your kindness. You burn to give life to others. Can there be a bigger sacrifice than this? I live only because you shine. Aftaab, mine is the silent and the obvious love. Without you I would be so gloomy and cold. No matter how much I love you, I cannot be with you. That night, had I not drifted away I would have been destroyed. My love for you would annihilate me Aftaab. I would lose myself inside you. I would cease to exist. For me to exist I must love you from afar and keep a distance. And like you, I too have a destiny and I am bound to Qamar. He knows me and soothes me like no other. He takes me to ecstatic highs and nurses me during abysmal lows. Qamar is my custodian.”

Hertha said this and left. A few moments later Aftaab too left.
Qamar was waiting for Hertha when she entered their sleeping chambers. Both were delighted to see the other. Hertha slowly slid next to Qamar.
“Did Aftaab pay a visit?” asked Qamar.
“How do you know?” Hertha was perplexed
“You look tanned” smiled Qamar.
She grinned and tightly hugged Qamar.

Qamar continued “Aftaab gives you life, but I give you beauty, Hertha. I provide the equanimity to your being. I handle your mood swings and keep you at peace. That night when we disintegrated from the larger being, I was with Aftaab. I could have been with him and may be shared his glory. But then I saw you drifting away. I was worried you would get hurt or get crushed in the melee at that hour. I put all my energy and broke free from Aftaab and rushed to you. I lost all my matter, heat and shine so that I don’t hurt you as I approach you. Despite knowing, you yearn for Aftaab, my love for you is unrelenting and unconditional. I am bound to you and my existence only revolves around you now. I ask nothing in return but to be with you and see you everywhere you go. I may not like Aftaab, I shine in his reflected glory, but I go around him only because you go around him. That’s proof of my love for you. I may not brighten up your days but surely can lighten up a dark night for you. And Aftaab has the entire stellar but I only have you. I would be so lost if I were not with you, Hertha.”

Hertha always knew how much Qamar loved her. Qamar got up and left.

She knew she would not see Qamar tomorrow but she also knew that in two weeks Qamar will be fine and out in his full glory and bathing Hertha in his mellow glow.

Till now Aftaab, Hertha and Qamar are yearning, loving and letting go and effectuating their role in each other’s destiny.

The End.