You look good

I left my home with a happy feeling. I was on my way to meet my friend Manali. Manali and I have been friends for almost 17 years. She is my friend from my very first organisation and we were able to maintain our friendship all this years. Every year I visit her home for Ganesh puja. Today was that day.

I hopped on to a bus and reached her home in 20 minutes. When I rang the doorbell it was answered by her husband Nilesh. He smiled at me and welcomed me. He asked me to be seated and went inside to call Manali.

Manali entered the living room with a wide smile on her face, "so glad to see you. I thought you would not be able to come".

"How could I miss? Yet I am glad that I was able to come today. These two days have been really hectic. Going from one place to other for Darshan is definitely really exhausting" I smiled back at Manali and expressed my thoughts. I was delighted to see her as well.

"Good that you came early today. We will get some time to chat. Otherwise you always come running, just sit for 5 minutes and leave. Today you have to sit at least for half an hour. No excuses", suddenly Manali felt like school teacher to me. Ordering me what to do.

"As you say my lady," I did a quick curtsey and it made her laugh.

"No need for that. You look good," she said while looking at me. Before I could respond she added further, "you always look amazing but this time you look really fresh and relaxed. It is really good to see you this way. I can see that the stress of the job is now gone".

"Thanks. I do feel better. I do feel that the stress is now completely gone. I am feeling more relaxed since I left my job. Last 6 months had shown me how many opportunities are available outside of the corporate job," I replied. I started to think that how stress had been affecting the way I look. Maybe it was really evident on my face since she had noticed it.

" I understand. Nowadays jobs are really demanding. I too I am stuck in a very stressful job. I am looking for a change but unfortunately I am not getting anything. I think sometimes that I should leave the job and find something else to do. Somehow I am not able to get that courage", she confessed.

" I understand that. The courage does not come easy. In my case it had become really impossible to cope up with the stress at work. I fainted a couple of times in the office and that was what give me the courage and wisdom to leave the job. I hope nothing like that happens with you. At the same time let me tell you that opportunities are available outside of the corporate job. Though the earning may not be as good as the corporate job it will still be stress free. Right now I am at the juncture where I need a stress free life and not lots of money", I made my position clear in front of her. I knew Manali was not judgemental. I knew that she would understand.

"You are right. The only thing that is keeping me to stay in this job is my son's school fees and the home loan. Once the loan is in control I would definitely think of giving up the job and starting something else. Maybe by that time you must have gathered enough experience in freelancing and you would be able to guide me," she looked at me with hopeful eyes.

"Of course I will," I said.

When it was the time to leave she said while hugging me, "let's meet after a few days. Not home but somewhere else. Let's talk for some more time. I always feel relaxed after I speak with you".

"Sure give me a call whenever you want to meet. I am always available after 6 o'clock" I informed her.

After waving goodbye to her I thought to myself that I am indeed fortunate that I do not have children. Otherwise just like her I too would have to be stuck in a corporate job so that I could pay their school fees. I thanked god with full of my heart before embarking my journey to the next destination.