The Coffee Shop!

Ira just started walking out of her Braille class. As always Ira pondered in her thoughts while she made her way out with the help of her stick. She has been learning it since the past year. Life was suddenly different for her now that she couldn't see. It had been two years since the accident and everything had changed for her. The one who loved life and enjoyed so much was suddenly so down and throttled. She felt deceived by her own fate. It was not her fault but she had to pay for it by losing her eyesight and turning fully blind.

She was lost and in trauma for nearly 6 months. But she knew she had to get on with life. Her parents encouraged her to explore things to do. More like a therapy so that she doesn't feel that she is disabled. But she was not in a place to process; she felt she couldn't get on life with so many obstacles without seeing. Ira was nervous and scared. As time passed she realized this is how she has to lead her life from now on and accepted the reality. With the encouragement from her parents and loved ones, Ira decided to learn Braille to build her strength of hope and senses. She still felt isolated and prefer staying alone all the time. Her enthusiasm for life was derailed.  

With training and the therapy, she was able to walk her way through and her sense of judgement had developed with time. She was now able to move around on her own. She always needed her directions here and there and someone would accompany her on and off. She left from home as usual and got dropped by her dad at the coffee shop. Her class was just a few blocks away. As she was making her way to the coffee shop, the early morning she felt happy. She always felt happy when heading there. Something unexpected had happened in the past week.

It was a week ago, that Ira was at the coffee shop. It was her routine to grab a cup and then start of the day and she intended to continue with it even now. The place made her feel familiar. On that certain day, she was at her normal seat and sipping her favourite latte. When she suddenly heard, “May I share the table with you?” It was a male voice. Ira was a bit confused as she didn't like people being around. But she knew she couldn't be rude. She said, “yes you may”. And that was it. Very randomly they started a conversation. At first, Ira was not sure to entertain the man. If only someone would tell her how genuine this person is? But then she thought how long will people protect her? There would be a time where she would be on her own. She had to trust her instinct, that’s the only way she would have to sense and judge a situation.

His name was Amit. He was a normal guy who had a decent job but was fascinated with his life. The glass was always half full for him. He knew he didn't have everything but he knew the value of things that he had and owned. He was content and that’s how he has always been. Amit was on his way to work when he stepped in the coffee shop. The moment he saw Ira, he found her so pretty yet lost. He realized she was blind but he saw so much more in her. His instinct told him to go and say a hello.

Their conversation was very formal yet intruding. Ira was a bit surprised that she managed to interact with a stranger after a long time, but she wasn't sure what was happening. But there was something, only for her to think that it was just one of the things that happened.

They bumped into each other again same time same place. This time the conversation was different. It was more about liking's, hobbies, and everything else. Ira knew that Amit seemed to be genuine, because of the kind of question he asked, she was hesitant to answer the entire truth, but she had to judge her instinct.

The phenomena repeated almost every day that week. They never planned it. But they met every day that week. Their conversations were healthy. Ira was beginning to feel a thrill for this. It made her believed in herself again. She realized that she being blind was never a question for Amit. He would talk to her just like he would talk to any other person. Amit knew Ira was stronger to face her fears, she just didn't know it yet. Ira was feeling good. This relationship didn't have a name not even friendship yet. It was something that came along. Amit felt the same. He was happy that if just by talking and sharing if he could unknowingly help someone, it was worth it.

Ira suddenly was started to feel alive and different. She knew that something was taken from her. But she didn't want to be sad anymore about it. Amit was no one to her, not even known to her, she had her doubts, engaging in talks with someone you don’t know? But sometimes a stranger may tell you things or teach you something that you didn't want to hear or think. Amit never persuaded her to meet outside alone or even asked for her phone number, he never followed her.

Ira would head to her class with a different outlook and become more interested in learning Braille and mastering it. Amit would head to his work, then home and family and the normal routine. They would both recollect the meet in their mind. They were happy. For Ira, this was a different experience that came in disguise only to teach her and motivate her. They both looked forward default for their coffee engagement. They both knew they would be there.

As time passed, they both looked forward to their meeting at the coffee shop. It would be like a therapy: as their day started, those 30 minutes became a part of their lives for quite some time. The coffee shop had its magic. Amit realized that Ira, in turn, had taught him a lot. Whatever experiences she had before she lost her eyesight made him feel that there is so much to live. He could see how much Ira had changed she looked fresh and so different. Maybe their talks helped. Maybe she remembered how to live. She didn't feel sorry anymore. They knew each had some influence over the other in a positive way. They still didn't meet outside the coffee shop. This was their place!

Sometimes along the way we meet people who are not related or known to us. They may not even be our friends or may become one soon. When we least expect our life to go nowhere, out of the blue we see a possible guidance, a stranger whom you think you can trust. People help you in a way which you never expected. A fresh outlook from a fresh peace of mind makes so much of difference. We are in some phases disabled, may be in terms of our thoughts and refuse to let it go. But somewhere someone comes along the way only to make you feel better. Sometimes these people are known or completely unknown and sometimes you might risk trusting a stranger. The outcome is we need to fight our own battles, true. But we are so lost we don’t realize where to begin and if someone helps along to realize how strong are you the battle doesn't seem like a war anymore...