I saw a thousand fireflies. or many thousands. I saw them on a dark moonless night.
They have stayed with me. Sometimes, they still peep through my hair, say a quick hello during a walk on the footpath in the wee hours of the night.

Through my good days and the bad days. Bad days because I just have to close my eyes and I see them again. Almost real. And I am joyous again! Good days because at my happiest hour, I invariably go back to that night in the small lanes of Jinkhata village in Dhubri district of Assam when while coming back from the Satra (local Vaishnavite temple about 2 kms away from where i stayed), I was transported to an almost fairy tale like reality.

Through those kachcha (mud) roads, between the thick foliage of trees, sitting on that rickshaw, through the sound of slow churning of the wheels, and occasional whispers from the crickets, I saw those fireflies.

From as close as kissing my hair, to as far as my eyes could feel their horizon. Darkness and nothing else, but only those fireflies. Everywhere! It was like a million stars were at play, hide and seek was their game! I was a silent spectator, watching in awe these little stars carrying me forward to my destination for a more than few half hours. Was I taken to experience some unique reality? Was i navigating through a dream? I remember feeling my tears roll down the cheeks. A slight overwhelmed quiver of my lips. A slight stiffness in my body. My head gently swaying from one end to another trying to absorb as much. That is the only moment in my life when I received without any resistance. With no obstruction, absorbed the gift of nature. 

I have chosen this “most told firefly story” to express this stole!

Many thanks, fireflies! It is for you that I glow!