My Beloved

 

On a fading afternoon, I rode a rickshaw with my beloved wife and got off at Abhay Mitra Ghat in Firingi Bazaar. There, after passing through the hazy atmosphere created by the unloading of cargo from ships with the help of enormous cranes and the constant movement of dump trucks, I found myself surrounded by the tranquil embrace of twilight, the lively waves of the Karnaphuli River, and the lush greenery veiled in a light, gray blanket of mist. In that moment, the following lines from Kazi Nazrul Islam’s poem “Rakhi-Bandhan” came to mind—

“Has the earth today, in the beauty of autumn, become so serene beneath the gentle sky?
A boat of clouds sails across the blue, bringing gifts as it drifts by!
Enchanted by the cloud-messenger, the swans rush toward Alaka’s land,
Carrying red water-knotweed buds in their beaks as gifts from mortal land.”

A few days ago, a sudden stroke had brought about a tremendous disruption in the rhythm of my life, leaving me overwhelmed by deep frustration and a sense of imbalance. Today, the genuine companionship and tender love of my beloved, the foaming waves of the exuberant river, and the gentle chill in the air, carrying the first whispers of winter and a refreshing sense of renewal, seemed to make up for at least some of that loss. I am infinitely grateful to the Creator. All praise belongs to Him alone.

Sitting side by side, sharing a little laughter between conversations, exchanging enchanting glances—what a heart-captivating sight it was! The loving, watchful eyes of my beloved life partner never once lost sight of me, not even for a moment. Gazing toward the vast blue sky, we bound ourselves with a bundle of promises. Hand in hand, eye to eye, we were sinking into an unfathomable world of thoughts. We were drifting away into an indescribably beautiful dreamland.

Suddenly, I heard her say, “Come on, let’s get up; the children are home alone.”

What else could we do! We began walking back slowly, and without even realizing it, I started humming to myself…

If Only I Had a Little More Time

If only I had a little more time,
If only I had a little more time—
To keep my promises, to stay by your side,
To call you by name, for a reason or none at all;
If only I could paint your heart with a little more color,
If only I had a little more time.

If only I could fill our idle moments with more songs,
If only I could scatter handfuls of heartfelt happiness,
If only I could awaken life with a few more hopes;
If only I had a little more time.

To love, to float upon waves of joy,
To enter the depths of your heart
Through the windows of your eyes;
To clear away the thorns that blocked our path
As we struggled to break through the stones,
To kindle in our hearts an even greater passion for walking together,
To stir our souls with just a little more emotion;
If only I had a little more time,
If only I had a little more time…

🌹🌹❤️❤️🤣🤣

November 5, 2023

Collected from the Facebook wall of Ali Yousuf.

Translated by: FB Stories Team

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