With my fingers crossed

It was surely a disturbed sleep. “Perhaps I had been daydreaming too much? Uncle Mac had warned me this very visit not to overdo with this wishful thinking. Sigh! As if I can help it. All of my 23 years of conscious living (they say it started pretty late around 15!) I can swear that I had thought of nothing else more intensely than for this. Is it a surprise that my dreams are full of it too?” And yet, it was just a dream. I threw the sheets aside and tried to brush away the thoughts with them. Funny dream! This man comes up and requests me to sing! “Me? Sing?? ( My sister would drown me in drain next door and my parents would exchange me for the dog I have been asking for, but if I’d survive that, the neighbors are sure to form a social welfare association and hang me publicly for committing the most heinous crime of abetting mass suicides!!!)” But no sir! Not in this dream! I hit the right pitch and note of one of my all time favorites and had a mesmerized audience around me that went on swelling till…till I was wide awake. I shook my head widely. “Wake up Jerk! Don’t get ideas from a stupid dream fuelled by your fantasies”. “But it was such a delight, the feeling was almost divine. May be I can sing, may be…” “Now you are getting suicidal ideas…wake up before its too late…the dream is over…” “Just this once?...  in the bath?...ok with the shower on?” …. And before I could stop myself I started off …with the old classic from sound of music… I had my right hand ready to shut me up just in case… but the hands were as stunned as the brain and the heart! It was simply flowing. The lyrics, tune, the melody with all its nuances…as if…as if…I have been doing it for years. A second thought “..Is this really me?” I turned off the shower, looked around, faced the mirror and stopped in silence. I pinched. Don’t know where, but it must have been on my person for I felt the sting somewhere. Cautiously, I came out and faced the king size mirror. Sweat drops. What was it that happened in there? I like to believe that there are no ghosts... “Try once more”, something prompted. And it started …pure, crystalline, unadulterated melody… emanating from me… as if it had always been there. I was singing, one after another the classics I had listened to all these years, the lyrics printed in my mind. Oh joy! Divine joy! Nothing had ever been so. I did not realize that I had closed my eyes to bask in the warmth of this newfound joy till someone shook me wildly. I opened my eyes feeling the reflexive smile that had lingered on even after the words had faded. There was shock in the air and disbelief in every eye. The eyes that had frozen to blinks. And then… applause, cheers, smiles and tears. All conveying the same boundless joy I was experiencing. But it was not a miracle to them. “You had been secretly practicing all these years, preparing yourself for the big day, we are so proud of you!!!” I was puzzled for few more moments, but this was no time. Is it still there? I started again. New songs, old melodies, raps, rock anything… anything that assured me that this was here to stay. All day I kept checking my newfound talent and the next day and the day after… it was here to stay!

The wonder and amazement faded with time. Quickly for others, slowly for me. Now I had a new schedule, a new occupation and a new reputation to handle. The word sure spreads faster than the fire. The first to approach was the local music club that invited me to sing at their monthly meet. I was shy and unsure and really excited by this honor. I should have known this was just the beginning.  Soon there was the media, and the authorities on music. First it was a few performances, then competitions, prizes and more competitions. Within a year I was judging music shows and gracing the dais. This was what I had always wanted. I had invested my precious days and nights dreaming for this day. And now I wanted to be better. I practiced more. I tried the most difficult music but somehow it seemed to happen the right way every time. I still had a job and hence time was limited. However, where passion rules, odds strike out themselves. I seemed to be full of energy for music even after a tiring day. Soon, I dared to produce my own album. I still remember the goose bumps on the back of my neck at the release. I can now proudly say, it was an instant hit. The music got sold out within no time. Did I have an alternative career at hand? As the family sat contemplating on the plans to go for a new album- it happened! A call from Hollywood!! Hollywood requesting my number for a romantic flick. I knew I had arrived!!

One dream changed my life. I am still not able to grasp how it all happened but it has given me the most important lessons ever: My first lesson- the talent can be anywhere, even in seemingly dark corner. I have set up a music academy that teaches music free of cost to the aspirants. Selection criteria? - the aspirant should have an undying dream and a strong faith in the dream.
And my second lesson- when the unthinkable can appear, the most obvious can disappear- I keep my feet firmly planted and my fingers crossed!!