A Beautiful Afternoon

Sometimes, even the tiniest of things can make you happy. Things like waking up early morning and watching the sun rise, going on a walk all by yourself or with a friend you haven't met in a while, watching a baby cackle with joy, being out in the first rain after a long summer or smelling something which instantly brings back some of your most treasured memories. It could be thousands of things, all different and diverse and sometimes quite magically, the same.

They fill you up with joy, makes your heart pump a little more blood, and your lungs a little more oxygen. You feel elated and refreshed and confident. It makes you feel like you've always been so happy because in that instant you forget all the problems, tensions and difficulties you might have in your life and you just enjoy and live in the moment.

View from inside the mosque.

Something like this happened with me today and I was so happy that I didn't want it to go away before I captured it in something. So I decided to write about it. Yes, it's a bit surprising but I am actually writing this post about absolutely nothing. Yes, this post is just about one afternoon unusual afternoon of my life and if you feel already bored and stumbled here by mistake, I don't think it'll help you much. 

So, this afternoon I hurried out of the bathroom and on to the road(in clothes, yes). So I went out in a hurry because like most of the time I was late for the Friday prayer. It had rained earlier and there was cool breeze about, the roads and walls looked washed and new, children were playing in the street, there were smiley faces all around and I couldn't stop beaming for all of this.

I reached the mosque, the one which is situated in a large complex with open land surrounding it and found a place outside in the park as I was late, but the breeze was heavenly and it was a good thing unlike other summer days as I was enjoying it more and more. Halfway through the namaz, raindrops started again, slowly, making tip-tap sounds, enticing the heart, like they were blessings showered from up above.

That's the mosque, I suppose some repair work was going on

But it gradually increased and almost all of those who were praying outside in the park went to their homes after the namaz, but I stayed as did most of those inside the mosque. I came around one of my elder cousins then and we stood under a makeshift cloth shade and chatted while the rain kept filtering and falling on us. After a while he too took off and I went inside to pray and wait for the rain to stop.

The thing that doubled my joy was to see people sitting inside, relaxed, bright and in no hurry and there wasn't just a bunch or two of people, the mosque was quite full. Normally, on Fridays you'd see people come in, perform their prayers and leave, all in a robot-like fashion, looking busy and serious. Like someone is waiting for them somewhere and they just had to do this duty and go back to their very busy and fast life. I was happy because usually, not many people are seen sitting in the mosque other than when they are praying and nobody has the time to spend there, in the serene environment, cut off from the busy outer world for a little while. It's sad but that's how life is in cities.

But today I saw the opposite, even if they(including me) were forced by the rain to stay there for more than they had planned earlier. I was there praying, with the cool wind coming in from the doors and with the slight hum that was a result of people talking in low voices. That and when I came out after the rain stopped had me transported to a different place and time. It was surreal and I loved it.

It's the park where I found place when I came late.

All this doesn't mean anything, but then should it? Also, I ended it abruptly and I suppose you'd pardon me for it, and also for if you were expecting something more from this post. I think it's more like a diary entry which I've made public. But I am glad you read it, thanks for reading. :)