Holy Land

"You know, I was wondering something for a while now," she said suddenly, while he was driving.

"Hmm?" he said, taking a little bit of time to focus on what she was saying. It happens that you get lost in your own thoughts when you're out on the road in the middle of the night, and she understood that. She waited for him to get back to what she was saying before continuing.

"It's been four years we've been together, and two months since we got married, and we've never talked about God, have we?" she asked him.

He hadn't expected this topic while they were out on the road like this, but he had always admired the unpredictability of her thoughts. "No, we haven't. Is that what you were thinking all this while?"

"Yeah. Don't ask me why I started thinking about it though," she said with a smile. He answered back with his smile, and said, "I'm not asking."

"So, what's your take on God?" she pressed.

He didn't answer immediately. He had never really thought about this, never imagined that someone would actually pose this question to him someday. He didn't have an answer ready with him, and so he took some time to form the answer in his head.

"I'm not sure about God. I did believe in God as a kid, especially during the festivals, but as I grew up, I wasn't too sure about the existence of a supreme being," he said.

"So you've become an atheist?" she asked.

"No, not really. More like an agnostic. I don't say there is no God, I just question that theory. I've never had convincing proof for it actually. If I do, who knows, maybe I'd start believing"

It was her turn to become silent now while she looked out the window, lost in her own thoughts. After about a minute, he interrupted her thoughts, and said "What's your take on the subject? Aren't you going to tell me that?"

"Well, I've always believed in God. Ever since I was a little girl, ever since I went to the temple for the first time. Call me crazy, but I've always felt someone there has been waiting for me, every time," she said, a smile lighting up her face.

"Wow, that's sweet," he said, "and just so you know, I don't think you're crazy to believe in that stuff."

"Doesn't your sister believe in God?" she asked.

"Oh yes, she does. She's a devout believer. She thinks that all our lives are in His hands, that everything is His will."

"Well, what if she's right with that train of thought? What if there really is a God somewhere, and He's actually got a big plan for all of us? What if this drive, this conversation, it's all a part of His plan?"

Before he could answer to that, the car stalled with a small lurch. He pulled to the side of the road, put the blinkers on, and wondered out loud, "Was this in the plan as well?"

"Oh ,come on now!" she exclaimed on hearing that. She knew he was joking, but thought it to be a nice opportunity to seize the moment and use it to her advantage. "You're not actually going to blame this on God now are you? I thought you had your doubts about his existence. Convenient, eh?"

"I was kidding. I thought you would understand, sweetheart," he said, with a swift smile before he got out to see what the trouble with the car was.

"I'd have to take care of this trouble now, I don't think Divine Intervention's really going to help us out here," he continued once he was outside. "It's the skills of the Automobile Engineer you've got as a husband that's going to get us out of this one!"

"Maybe it would be your skills that would get us out of here," she said, stepping out of the car herself, "but that doesn't really prove anything. It doesn't prove that God does not exist."

"Well, it doesn't prove that he does either. Which brings us back to the doubts that I had about Him in the first place," he said as he tinkered around under the hood.

"I wonder if that's done it," he said to her, "go in and turn on the ignition; see if it works now"

She went inside and turned the key, and the engine throbbed to life. She could see his smile in the headlights, and he saw her smile when he got back into the car a moment later. Soon, they were back on the road.

"So, why did we have that conversation there, out of the blue like that?" he asked her, as they sped over the familiar road leading back to the city.

"Just like that, I've been wondering about it for some time now. Just thought of bringing it up tonight, that's all," she said.

Up ahead, they could see a little temple, with a candle still burning in the dead of the night. "Let's stop over for a moment over there, please? I'd really like that," she said, turning to him.

"Now? It's getting kinda late, don't you think? We have to get back home."

"I won't be long. Just a little while. Five minutes at max."

He stopped the car, but he still didn't understand the urgency. "Why do you have to visit the temple now, in the middle of the night?"

"Because, when we were stuck there, I prayed to God to help us out. Right before turning the ignition, I prayed. I dunno, feels as if it worked because of that."

He smiled, unlocked the car doors, but said nothing. "You want to come too?" she asked him.

"Sure, why not. Although, I'm still not sure. One incident like that can't change the way I think," he said, and took off his shoes before entering the Holy Land.

She smiled into the night, and welcomed the scent of the incense that was burning, waiting for her to pay a visit in the dead of that night.

~~~~~

I've been away from the blogging world for the last few days, which is why there's been this delay in the post. I'll still be away for a few more days, but I couldn't resist popping in and posting this one. I hope I can come back quickly though. Hope to see you guys soon.

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Image Courtesy Snap-shooter!