It’s October, well almost. Happy month. The festive spirit has set in and the world is in a celebratory mood. Durga Pujo, Diwali and my birthday, of course, make this month so special. Though I have stayed out of Bengal for a while, and work on Pujo days most of the time, festivity somehow seeps in. No matter what I may be going through, October manages to cheer me up, to make me feel optimistic.

Maybe it is the arrival of Goddess Durga, the victorious deity who carries the message of hope. Maybe it is the pandals, the festivities, the happy faces around. The time of the year when we take a break from the mundane and eagerly wait for something exciting. And for me, maybe my forthcoming birthday. Though I am a big girl, I am as excited about birthdays as I was when I was six. Birthdays always make me optimistic about the future.

And all the happiness that sets in makes me grateful. I thank the Universe for all I have. A roof over my head and enough to take care of those I love. Most of all for my strength and perseverance. And when we start counting our blessings, we realize how blessed we are.

But what about the things that my heart so craves? Things that I have strived so hard to attain yet made no headway, both material things and matters of the heart. Working hard to travel and write to my heart’s content, yet not getting there. The love that has taken so much, made me happy and yet eludes me.

It’s October, so I am heartbroken and optimistic at the time. It’s October, so I whisper my prayers to the Universe. It’s October, so I know the Universe will grant me what is mine and help me get over what is not!