ELIXIR (250 words)
By Neel Anil Panicker
When I finally told Shabana about wanting a divorce, she laughed and said, “You must be crazy. Where will you get another woman, rich and beautiful like me?
I replied that I wanted peace.
To which she had shot back, “ No one can get peace.” It’s all in the head. Either you have it or you don’t.”
People say that all the time, especially those close to you, as if it’s all so very obvious.
But is it?
That’s the problem with people. They think peace is related to the acquisition of materialistic pursuits; to the construction of an earthly paradise on the most prized landmass available; of coveting things beyond an ordinary man’s grasp.
They envy what I have: a fancy bungalow, a stinkingly wealthy heiress for a wife, one whose external beauty needs refurbishing through quarterly botox shots in the face, chest and God knows where.
But if one were to think of peace as the avoidance of such acquisitions, they’d understand how achievable it is.
Take me for instance. It’s been a week since I divorced Shabana and escaped to this shack by the sea. There’s only me, the sun and the sands.
And man, am I at peace?. Truth be told, I am dripping in peace.
And if that’s possible for a week, then it must be possible to string together one entire month of peace, and then an entire year of peace, and then several years of peace.
Well it’s difficult, but it’s doable.
©neelanilpanicker2017 #fiction #THURSDAYPHOTOPROMPT
Written for
neelwritesblog 
Wow!!! Great message and a great story!!
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