Remo had no intentions of reading the entire newspaper. Normally he would read only the headlines in the restroom. Today he was having a hard time just holding it. Last night flashed in front of him and all he could remember was his last drink. Its back to work today and the hangover is killing his nerves. He put the newspaper down after reading the quote of the day - "All that lives a life, lives a journey back to its source - anonymous".
********
Lavina had her final research paper due tomorrow. World Theology was not her favorite subject, but she had to complete enough credits to graduate. Bored with the subject she started reading the college newspaper. 'The world is coming to an end' she thought after reading the news about all the wars. She then put the paper on the table after reading the quote of the day - "All that lives a life, lives a journey back to its source - anonymous".
********
Boisa was a small college town. Not many knew it existed. Those who visited as travelers would get spell bound by its outer glow and natural beauty and leave with everlasting memories. Those who stayed spent a lifetime understanding its unusual charm and mysticism that lied within its streets and homes. Many however, were lost travelers as there weren’t too many roads that led to Boisa.
In the centre of the town was the only college, "The Wedgelonk". The student population of the college was not that high - one because it was difficult to pass the admission test and two because very few people knew about Boisa. The college had many education disciplines but the really good ones were department of music and department of religious studies. Students were proud to be part of this college and moreover to be part of Boisa.
****************
"Today's gonna be a looong day", thought Remo after getting out of the restroom. As an RJ, Remo played hard rock music for the Wedgelonk's radio station. He had a 1hour slot, twice every 4 hours. This not only paid for his expenses but as a student majoring in music, this was the best job he could get and he knew it. He would listen to his favorite music all day long and understand it during classes. He was living a dream in reality.
Like every human, Remo would look for inspiration and for a good reason too - he had to choose a theme for his radio program everyday. When it came to hard-rock music he was brilliant and never took much time to come up with something new and refreshing. He had a huge collection of FLAC files that he had collected over the years. Today however, his mind was completely blocked. As he approached to the radio station to start his hour he realized he did not have a theme.
Remo knew the college loved him. He could play anything he wanted and everyone would get entertained. But he had a reputation to carry. For him, his reputation and self integrity was beyond everything. He looked around and asked questioned the materials for inspiration but nothing. He then looked at the daily college newspaper once again. The quote read: "All that lives a life, lives a journey to its source".
As the students came out of their classes they were pleasantly surprised to hear classic rock on the radio. Remo just kept playing what started it all - from rock n roll to blues rock to jazz rock to punk to grunge. He went through a journey of realization. He understood what the quote meant. There was however, more to this realization.
********
This was Lavina's last semester. As an average student she had spent most of her time in college hanging out with friends and lazing out in her apartment. She was not particularly interested in going to classes and hence bunked almost all of them. 'This is the reason I cannot think of a topic. If only I had attended the classes', she thought. It was however too late to think. It was time to act.
She took the 'learners walk' to the Wedgelonk library. Legend had it that some of the most learned and successful alumni walked the ‘learners walk’ to the library. As Lavina crossed it, she felt safe as if the long stream of leaning trees bowed on both sides in her presence and covered her path from the outside as she went on a mystical journey of learning. She entered the library full of inspiration.
Browsing through various journals and books she could not find anything worth writing a paper on. She did not take any classes today thinking that she will have enough time to complete the research paper. Every book she picked, she would read a few pages and put it back on the shelf. She then picked a translation of Rumi's Masnavi and read:
I died as inanimate matter and arose a plant,
I died as a plant and rose again an animal.
I died as an animal and arose a man.
Why then should I fear to become less by dying?
I shall die once again as a man
To rise an angel perfect from head to foot!
Again when I suffer dissolution as an angel,
I shall become what passes the conception of man!
Let me then become non-existent, for non-existence
Sings to me in organ tones, "To him shall we return"
After reading the poem, Lavina remembered the quote of the day: "All that lives a life, lives a journey to its source". In the next few hours she finished the research paper. It was titled "RUMI - a spiritual journey back".
********
Remo finished his classes and the radio hours for the day. He was happy he learned something new and understood the importance of how everything that starts, finally ends with a search of how it began. He unlocked his BMX, his headphones ready and off he went back home. He was listening to "The Beatles" and was admiring the origins of Rock music.
Lavina emailed her research paper back to the professor. Her eyes glowed with happiness for the achievement. She gave credit to the 'learners walk' and to the quote of the day. She learnt the importance of life and it’s longing to return back to its source. She started her car and zoomed through the streets of Bosia.
*******
Ethan picked the college newspaper and read the main headline to Julie.
'Two students die in an accident'
Remo had taken a sharp turn around the corner of the road. The music was too loud and he did not realize there was a car coming from the other side of the road. He tried to save himself but could not control the bicycle and went straight through under the tires of the car.
Lavina realized that she was going to hit someone on a bicycle, she tried to save him and moved the car in another direction but it was too late. The bicycle slipped through with Remo under the tires of her car and in an attempt to save the guy she hit head-on into a tree.
"That really is sad. Hope they have returned peacefully", sighed Julie.
"Yeah. Oh! There is a mistake. The quote of the day has been repeated. It was there in yesterday's edition as well"
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