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At Least Once in India
By
Daniel Raphael, Ph.D.
This short story is an autobiographical
karmic romance that came into existence from
a series of waking visions the I received in
1997 and 1998. Additions to the story were
taken from the by night dreams of my Iranian
lover. We are known in the book as Shah-Bar
and Ahnahita. The setting of this karmic
romance is in India circa 1400-1600.
Included are four poems, three of which were
written during the era of the story.
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Excerpts:
Chapter 1
One bright day as I was painting a cattle
corral on the Colorado plains, I thought of
you and a vision crossed the eyes of my mind
of our lives long ago.
The first time I saw you was .... I pause to
catch my breath,…for even now this vision,
this karmic memory excites and transports me
back to India many centuries ago….
I had risen before dawn to take my usual
place in the large garden courtyard of your
father's summer palace by the sea. Though I
had not visited with your family for many
years, I knew right where I wanted to be
when the sun rose. As a child, I had visited
with your family many times each year, for
our fathers were brothers. Your father being
the first born had inherited the wealth of
our family after the ashes of our
grandfather traveled down the great river
and into the sea. My father swore his
allegiance and was a trusted and dedicated
trustee to the prince, your father. ….
~~~~~
It was then that I saw you for the first
time through the delicate limestone screens.
You were walking toward me. Your head was
bent downward as though the weight of the
sadness I saw in your face had fastened your
gaze onto the garden path. I too looked at
the pathway to see what held your attention,
to find the source of your sadness. But
nothing was there. There was only you, the
white stones, and brilliant early morning
sunlight behind you. Precious gems sewn onto
your sandals flashed in the sunlight with
the sway of your footsteps as you padded
silently toward me. ….
~~~~~
Our lives have been like your presence
passing behind those delicate screens. We
can see each other, but with something in
between. Would the mystery of these visions
be gone if the screens were removed? What is
the connection between visions and what we
call reality? If we remove the screens,
would they become one? I would dismiss this
vision and many more like it, if it were not
for the fact I have had so many with you,
and me, in them. They do not go away. And I
wouldn't want them to…..
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