May 03, 2010

The Lost Ring

Three years ago on a hot May morning I had gone to one of the many colourful flea markets of Goa. I passed many flowing dresses, flamboyant hats, strange sandals and what not but one tiny thing caught my eye: a silver ring much like the one in the picture. I bought it immediately and wore it on the ring finger of my right hand for three consecutive years, never taking it off once. I grew increasingly attached to my ring and regarded it with affection, much like a parent who adores her child's face. Once I read a passage from Eckheart Tolle's book, A New Earth, where he describes a lady who was so attached to her precious ring that she feels very anguished when she loses it. The author then tells the lady to let go of her attachment. The ring might have been expensive and beautiful but it was unimportant in the greater scheme of things. The lady has a eureka moment and tells Eckheart, “Now I understand something Jesus said that never made sense to me before. If someone takes your shirt, let him have your coat as well.”
After reading that passage, I threw a glance at the beloved ring and realised that Eckheart Tolle could have been speaking to me too. Then life went on and I forgot all about the passage, happily and possessively wearing the ring.
One morning I woke up and the ring was not on my finger. I went berserk! Where was my pet?! I fretted. How could it disappear? It wasn't the slippery sort nor was I the kind of person who left the pet ring lying around only to forget about it later. I searched and cleaned the house, but in vain. It was nowhere to be found. Finally after a good many days I had to sit down and admit the most likely cause of disappearance: while doing poncha (since the bai doesn't come anymore and somebody has to clean the house) the pet must have slipped off as I dipped the poncha cloth into the dirty water and later unwittingly flushed it down the loo. Sadly I thought I could order a replica to fill the gaping hole the pet left in the heart. But somehow it didn't feel right. And then, BOOM! Eckheart Tolle's words Let it go rang in my ears. And then I figured, if the unslippable ring slipped out of my hand, there must be a reason. Perhaps the Universe decided that I need to learn the art of letting go and took away the pet. And if that was the case, I might as well learn the lesson now instead of fighting against the Universe. If the Universe thinks I can get the ring back, it will bring it back. After that I felt lighter and so did my right hand.