Phoenix Moment

The phoenix in the painting of the wall seemed like it moved. ‘Is it my imagination?’

Is it a signal that she should take it up? God I should stop thinking like this, maybe it’s the overdose of Bollywood movies or hindi serials that’s giving me these kinda thoughts.

Marisha was a high flying corporate employee who climbed up the corporate ladder at great speed. She was always excited and full of ideas and hence used to be included in all the important meetings internal and with clients. She had the rare distinction of being liked by people above her and her co-workers. She was easy to work with and at the same time came up with some great plans. In 10 years’ time she was at the brink of reaching the top rung of management. She was happy with herself and gave herself a treat by taking a trip to Bulgaria. She was always the adventurous kind and wanted to try something different. So this time it was this trip with her school mates to this European country. They planned for days together and the highlight for their trip was that they would be skiing and it was peak winter. However the one thing that was unplanned was that her best friend sweety would fall of the peak and go missing as it was very difficult to conduct search operations. By the time they found her body a week later the entire group of friends were heartbroken and were hardly talking. Marisha efficiently managed all the work with the authorities and managed to take back Sweety’s body. Back home she took up taking care of Sweety’s parents and helping them manage everything and coping with loss.

As to the outside world Marisha was her usual efficient self nobody could see that with Sweety something inside Marisha was lost. It was not because Sweety was her only best friend or something like that. It was that she saw death first time so close to her rather she was seeing ‘life’ going away for the first time. She herself did not realize that she was any state of depression. Next month when she was given a promotion she declined telling she thought she needed more time in the current role. Though it came as a shock to all she was otherwise as easy at work as always. At home it was a total different scenario ; her parents were seeing a total different side of her. She was scared of going out with friends, going to office, going on a journey, planes , using equipment etc; anything and everything. They initially thought it was a phase but as after 6 months she was still the same they started getting worried. This was the time when her aunt who was her idol in her formative years came to stay with them for a few days. Her aunt realized and told her that she should meet a psychologist a get some help. Though Marisha did not believe she is depressed nor that she needs help did she meet one to indulge her aunt. Initially reluctant and later friendly sessions with the doc brought back the old Marisha.

As she was looking at the painting of Phoenix again and back to the email which was telling her that she’s being given the Global head for her company and that she needs to relocate to Bulgaria for the role she remembered the entire series of events.

A month later at the airport bidding her family a bye she was the same confident person who boarded the flight 6 months. Yes, she did feel it was her ‘Phoenix’ moment.