" And all I heard was silence............"

It was one of the most important days of my life- it was my birthday. And it somehow seemed important to me, because I was going to turn 18. It was just the usual..... holidays were on... people calling to wish me..gifts.. blessings... and so on. Nothing special.... just the 'usual'.

But, there was something that made this day really beautiful for me. In fact, made it one of the days that I would truly cherish. Not because it was my birthday.... But because I heard from someone, who seemed to have dissapeared from my life.... but called to wish me. This call, above everything else, made my day.

Nothing is permanent in life. I guess I keep saying this, but really, I have realized this.... One should NEVER take anyone for granted in life... We think, that they'll always be there... but sometimes.... it just never happens. You may never get a second chance to undo the mistakes you did..... We all make mistakes.... even I did. And yeah, I deeply regret some of them....

She always supported me... and was with me. And I took her presence for granted... so much so... that I didn't even realize when we drifted away. And by the time I did... I guess I was too late... too late to make amends... to make her realize, that I was sorry......

Frankly, I don't even know what exactly went wrong..... I thought for a very long time... that where did I go wrong... what did I do? But, there is one thing.... one thing which I realized..... that even small things matter.... and even the smallest thing like giving time to someone matters.

We sometimes get so involved with other things, that we forget small gestures, like giving our friends a call, at least once in two days... something that you'd do everyday... but due to other things that start occupying our minds, we forgot to do them....

And I realized, that these 'very things' made a difference.... and changed everything....

I'm sure even you would have gone through something like this... at least once in your life. You really want to express yourself... but sometimes... the right words don't strike you. And by the time they do.. It's too late.

Everyone deserves a second chance, don't they? We all make mistakes... some are unpardonable.... some are such, that we cannot move on... But, some should be understandable.....

Well, considering it was my 'so called best day' , I was supposed to be happy.... But, there was something that held me back... just an intuition.... that would she call? Would she bother.? Would she even remember, or was I already a forgotten story?

And, I guess I got the most precious gift of all.... Her call came.

I just knew, that it was her. Something told me... that ' Yeah, she'll call".

I picked up the phone..... " Hello?"

Silence.

All I heard.... was Silence.........

" Hello? Who's calling?"

.......

" Ummmmm.. hiii...... Happy Birthday."

....

And that voice.... said it all for me.

I was just glad that she called... glad, that maybe.. somewhere... there was still hope, that maybe... the present equation between us... would change... and we'd be same as before..... And that call.. gave me that hope... Never to give up on our friendship. To try, and make a realize, that even today and ever after, she still would still have this friend, who would always be there.. no matter what the circumstance.....

And so, Even today I hope....

That one day, it'll all be fine........