Tara could not wait. She wanted to open the folded paper that Ramya had given her while coming down the elevator. During shift change, the elevator brimmed with anxious colleagues and employees from other organizations in that sprawling IT park. Lighting A Black Candle
Even though there was no space for a person, the elevator stopped at subsequent floors and everyone waited desperately for the doors to close and get moving. She needed some privacy to read it.
Tara decided to read it while travelling in the cab. As usual, the cab was also crowded, so she did not want anyone to peek into the paper and read without her permission. Human curiosity always wanted to know the hidden secret from the nearby person.
To test her patience, she could not read it even after reaching home. Surprisingly, her neighbours were there to invite her to the pooja at the local temple. After exchanging a few dumb questions, she rushed to the bathroom to wash her face. She snatched the paper from her handbag and took it along with her.
With trembling hands, she opened the paper. Her bubbles of anxiety faded away quickly.
“Hmm. I thought it must be something more interesting”. She could not understand why Ramya wanted her to do that ritual.
Flame of Cleansing and Luck
What you’ll need: 1 White Candle, 1 Black Candle, 1 Green Candle
1: Clear your mind of all thoughts.
2: Light the black candle, it represents negative energy.
3: Say: “Mother Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, And Spirit, I ask thee to cleanse my body of all negative energies.”
4: Light the white candle. It represents positive energy. Focus on just this flame for 60 seconds.
Just look at the flame… how it moves. Think nothing else, but only the flame.
5: Say: “Mother Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, And Spirit, I ask thee to bring into my body all positive energy”.
6: Light the green candle, it represents healing.
7: Say: “Mother Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, And Spirit, I ask thee to heal my body from all negative forces. Blessed be.”
8: Sit back and focus on the 3 flames for 10 minutes.
——————-
“Did you read it?” Ramya asked Tara with a twinkle in her eyes.
“Do you want me to believe?” Tara replied.
“Nothing wrong if you try”
“I could not answer my mom.”
“Tell her that is good for your family.”
“Ok.”
While going back home in the evening, she enquired about color candles. Wherever she enquired, there were candles in all colors except black. She even tried birthday candles and cup candles. No candle in black color. She bought a pack of white candles and a pack of color candles with red, green, and orange color candles.
Tara reached home with a long face. At heart, she felt lost.
Will I be able to win his hands?
Tears welled up in her eyes and blurred her sight. The mere thought of allowing him to get married to some other lucky girl depressed her.
“He is mine. And he belongs to me. No one can snatch him away from me.” A sense of arrogance swept her senses and she vowed to win his hands at any cost.
When Tara placed the candles on her shelf, her mother looked at her with a surprise.
“Why have you brought so many candles at a time? There is no power cut nowadays.”
“Hmm”
“Are you going to St. Anthony’s church tomorrow?”
“Leave me alone. Why are you pestering me with too many questions?”
“No one likes me here if I ask questions.”
After drinking her evening tea, Tara lit the lamp at the Tulsi plant. In the enveloping darkness, the rich green plant looked enchantingly beautiful. Tara gazed at the flame from the diya. The flame stood still despite the evening breeze and the perfume from the unfurling jasmine buds enveloped her senses with love.
Three more days to go. The note asked her to do it on a Friday night.
“Will I be able to get those black candles before Friday?” Tara sighed.
“Keep your fingers crossed. You will get it before Friday.” Ramya wished her luck before she went to sleep.
Tara met Ramya at the Food Court during lunch.
“Hi. Your face glows with love.” Ramya teased her.
“Don’t make me talk dirty,” Tara warned.
“Dirty.” Ramya chuckled loudly.
“We will have a deal. What will you give me if you get those candles by tomorrow?” Ramya questioned her.
“Your favorite ice cream pack!” Tara promised.
“Wow. I like this deal. Have it in mind, it is done.” Ramya smiled.
Wednesday came and went. Tara could not sleep well. Color candles occupied her dreams and she fervently lit candles of all colors on her candle holders. There were no electric lamps and wherever she turned she could see only candle lights.
“Will I have a successful candlelight dinner with him”? Tara did not want to have a “No”.
“Perfumed candles can be bought online.” The words reached Tara while she walked down the road obsessed with the thoughts of candles.
“Sh. I am a stupid! How did I forget I could get anything online nowadays?” Tara’s heart bloomed at the thought. But it will take at least two days for the product to be delivered. If she cannot do it this Friday, she has to wait for another six days to go.
“I could not wait any longer.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. “Why am I so unlucky?” Tara could not escape from the feelings of self-pity. She wished a miracle happened.
Tara reached home at 7 p.m. on Thursday. Suddenly there was too much traffic congestion, and they had to wait in the cab for long hours.
Feeling hungry and thirsty Tara sneered at her younger sister who handed her a courier parcel. Not in the mood to open it, she left the parcel on the sofa and went to take a bath.
“Akka, can I open the parcel?”
“I never ordered anything online,” Tara answered.
“It is addressed to you only. Can I open it Akka?” Tanya asked again.
“Ok.” Tanya cut the wrapper with the scissors and threw it down. Tara looked at the bill pasted on the wrapper. “A box of black candles”
“What a surprise!” Tara hugged her little sister and kissed her.
“I will win.” The night breeze wished her good luck. And she will get the biggest surprise on Monday to know that those candles were sent by Ramya. Ramya found the candles online and sent them to Tara.
Growing up in an environment enriched with colours of nature adorned with sounds of machines, I enjoyed life with all challenges. Nature is always a great teacher that teaches empathy to live and let live others. Though I am now living in an urban environment, the lesson that nature taught me motivates and allows me to keep on writing. I will always remember the cool afternoons in the shades of trees that made me write more on love.
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