Aditi looked in awe at the colourful masterpieces around her
at the gallery; different hues suffused together to form lovely imageries.
Rakhee, her protégé, was certainly talented; a deep, wistful sigh escaped her,
taking her by surprise. Was she envious? She wondered, afraid to look for
answers within.
“Wasn't it true that it was she who had introduced Rakhee to
the world of painting? When did her apprentice, then, surpass, her, the guiding
force and light behind Rakhee’s success?”Aditi bemoaned.
“Shhh..don’t think that way! It’s not right to feel
resentment against genuine talent. In a creative field, someone will always be
better than you” chided her friend.
“But, why me?” Argued Aditi, upset with the miss goody two shoes,
ever-right mate. “I work hard too. Why is that I have to struggle so hard to
reach where Rakhee is now?”
“It’s not fair..” she continued her rant, forcing her companion
to withdraw into an uncomfortable silence.
“Look at her, busy
with all the adulation. She doesn't need me anymore.” The rant now tethered at
the border of a self-pitying sermon.
“…or is it me? I've always been an average achiever, never
aimed for the skies, so the dust is what I get, isn't it?” the sermon now
reduced to an inaudible whisper as tears pricked Aditi’s eyes and she slunk
away from the crowd that didn't seem to notice her absence.
“Perhaps, you still need to polish a few corners of your
talent…perhaps, you are very close to where you need to be…don’t give up yet” Aditi
heard the same voice, albeit low and unsure now, the one that belonged to the same
righteous friend who never knew how to shut up.
Sometimes, the friend didn’t know how to console Aditi, who
in her opinion, needed to hear a few hard truths but wasn’t ready to face them,
yet. Aditi was good at her work but
always sought motivation from outside rather than from within. As long as the
outside factors favoured her, Aditi, remained focused on her goals. Any blow to
the precariously balanced self-worth ultimately damaged her spirit and
confidence. Aditi had nick-named her miss goody two shoes and never saw eye to
eye with her, yet she was the first person Aditi sought to confide in. Such
dialogues between them were not uncommon.
“Sigh! These conversations were getting repetitive.” the friend
was losing patience. She even considered deserting Aditi, leave her to destiny.
But, how could she, she was her alter-ego, her shadow after all.
