Akash and Amritha stood out in Misty Meadows.
While the rest of the residents often looked laid-back and unhurried, it wasn’t the case with this young couple who had recently moved into a modest 2BHK villa in Misty Meadows.
It hadn’t been a long time since they moved in, but everyone had already noticed them.
They were friendly, cheerful, and outgoing. They greeted the residents every time they passed by. They were found in deep conversation with the watchman or the grocery store owner. They always had goodies and chocolates for the children at the play area.
They were often found sitting on the green wooden bench, with a laptop between them.
It was a common sight to see them scribbling furiously in a notebook and discussing something very seriously.
“No, that won’t work. Scratch that.”
“We need to do some research on this idea.”
“How feasible would this be?”
Sometimes they were still found on the bench way past sunset.
Residents walking past would ask, “Work not done yet?”
Their tired faces would look up, break into a smile.
“Not yet.”
Naturally, the residents were curious.
“Maybe they work from home”, they would wonder.
Little did they know that this wasn’t the life that Akash and Amritha imagined.
Both had built successful careers abroad. They had lived a comfortable life and were climbing their respective corporate ladders.
Until, quite suddenly, their lives changed drastically, almost overnight.
Within a few months of each other, they found themselves laid off without any warning or explanation.
They were devastated.
They came back to India and began looking for work.
After months of futile searches, one evening, sitting at the dining table, one of them said, “What if we just build something ourselves?”
That was how the laptop and the notebook found their way to the green wooden bench in Misty Meadows.
Their first few weeks in Misty Meadows were not easy.
Both had spent years in busy cities, surrounded by people who were always on the go.
The laid-back and unhurried pace of this community was a stark contrast for them to adapt to.
But slowly, they began to notice the little things that they had forgotten about.
The warmth with which the people genuinely welcomed them and made them feel at home.
The laughter of children who would often peer at them curiously as they worked away.
A neighbour would sometimes turn up with piping hot food, especially when they had been working late into the night.
The evening walks around the community slowly became their favourite way to take a break.
Most days, they worked.
Some days, they simply sat on the bench, watching the children play or chatting with whoever happened to walk by.
And somewhere between the pleasantries, the walks, and the quiet evenings beneath the old banyan tree, the little business they had started was no longer little.
More clients came in. The numbers slowly started looking better. And before they knew it, they were hiring people.
One evening, as they sat by the green wooden bench, they had just closed one of their most significant deals yet.
For a few moments, neither of them said anything.
They simply looked at each other. There were no words, but they both knew what the other was thinking. They smiled.
They still missed their old lives sometimes.
The predictability. The salary deposit every month. The familiar routines.
But they had also begun to realise that perhaps they didn’t have to choose between ambition and a life they enjoyed living. The two could co-exist.
The little community of Misty Meadows had quietly become home.
More stories from the little community:
People of Misty Meadows #1: The Woman with the Book
Before you go…
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Until next time,
The Soulful Nib
The Soulful Nib 