Read this if you have been feeling low and depressed since long time. Here is the answer. – By Subash Sapkota, Winner, Wordism Magh

THE DAY WHEN TWO BECAME ONE

He is currently sitting in his chair thinking about how he used to be. Steve in his own words-“Why don’t I enjoy doing the things that I loved a lot long ago, what brought me in this trap where escape from it seems almost impossible”.

Young, tall and lanky Steve during his school days was as enthusiastic as a two years old kid. He was an average performer in his studies but he had immense love for football. He had grown up watching players like David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane. Steve himself as a football player was emerging out brighter and brighter. Representing his school team as a captain, he had won several trophies, bagged many men of the match awards.

As the days passed by, Steve turned out to be a sober and reserved character. Love in him for football never died. Ria, a girl from the same class, brilliant in her studies was one of the closest friends of Steve. Besides studies, Ria herself had some enthusiasm for a football game. So Steve would feel free and comfortable on discussing matches of English premier leagues and La Liga with Ria. Board exams of standard nine were pretty near and thus they had no time for enough discussions and chats. Ria top her board exams and Steve managed to pass well above the margin.

SlC(School leaving certificate) exam also known as Iron Gate was the final examination of their school life. Steve hated geometry in maths, chemistry in science. Ria, on the other hand, had a strong zeal for these two topics. Ria having known Steve was weak on those two topics thought of sharing knowledge and make him understand better. So now besides football, geometry and chemistry were also a part of their discussion. They got closer and closer like the two opposite poles of the magnet. Steve who previously was a fanatic of rock and roll music now is into love songs.

Like a river flows
Surely to the sea
Darling, so it goes
Something are meant to be
Take my hand,
Take my whole life too
For I can’t help falling in love with you.

Song of Elvis Presley was being played on his mobile phone. Steve couldn’t manage to wait long enough and thought of writing a love letter and delivering it on valentine‘s day.

Letter delivered to RIA On February 14th 2011

Dear Ria,
Never had I imagined I would come up so much closer to you. Our friendship which started from discussions on football reached to discussions on geometry and chemistry. Your teachings have of course helped me develop a better concept on these topics.

As we got closer I feel like I have started loving you. I know it will be tough for you to give the decisions but I promise I will leave no stones unturned in caring and loving you. I have started thinking about our bright future ahead. Please accept my few but true words.

Your caring friend
Steve

Ria received this letter on valentine’s day February 14th, 2011. She was taken aback by the letter, vacillating back and forth on her thoughts, she was unable to make a concrete decision. She was worried of her final SLC examination but thinking his words were true and from his inner soul, she accepted the proposal 3 days after she received the letter.

Steve was filled up with joy knowing Ria accepted his proposal. Ria consistent on her school performance topped her school in SLC Examination. Steve, on the other hand, managed to pass the examination. As days passed by, both of them grew stronger in love. As their exams were over they had ample of time for discussions and dates. Ria, right from her childhood wanted to be a doctor and serve the mankind.

Steve, on the other hand, wanted to represent his country as a captain in a national football team. Both of them thought of pursuing their higher studies In the capital of the nation, Kathmandu. Both of them got admitted in same Trinity international college but Ria chooses science and Steve management stream. Although they belonged to the same college, because of their different stream, they had different schedules and thus they couldn’t manage enough time for discussions in the college. But they would go on parks and recreation centers on holidays and spend some time with each other.

Both of them focused on their ambitions, Ria on standard 12 joined pre-medical sessions to prepare for the entrance examination. Steve kept on fighting hard to pursue his dream as a footballer. Steve would spend most of his time on training in football grounds. One fine day, Steve was in his home watching the sports news on national television. The then national football team captain Hari

khadka was being interviewed by the interviewer. Hari Khadka in his own words( during the interview), “Country needs enough of infrastructures, coaching staffs. Players are not being given enough of facilities. It’s hard to run a family being a footballer in a country like ours”. Steve felt a pang of uneasiness listening to skipper’s interview. The next day Steve while strolling through the sports section of The Himalayan Times” read about a football player who had to choose going abroad instead of representing a nation in football because he wasn’t given money essential to run a family. Steve was lost in his thoughts. Ria was busy in her entrance exam preparations. Steve, on the other hand, was lost in his own sea of thoughts, depressed by the situation of national football players.

Ria by virtue of her hard work managed to make it through among the top 10 in the entrance examination conducted by Institute Of Medicine. Steve, on the other hand, was struggling in his ambition, but the bonding in between them never grew weaker. As the days passed by, Steve not being able to see his future as a national football player, was stressed. He had lost interest in things that earlier would make him feel good. Many times he often had suicidal ideations. Steve thought of sharing about his situations with Ria. He hesitated initially but confessed what he had gone through. Ria couldn’t believe in her eyes. “It’s okay to feel low sometimes, but you should be brave enough and feel strong”, Ria told. Ria was in her 1st year of medical school. Steve though not convinced by her words shook his head and tried to swallow the pain.

As the months passed by, the loneliness in Steve grew deeper and deeper. He looked tired and thought of giving up. Ria hated pharmacology in medicine. During her neurology classes, she came across topic medicines used in depression in Pharmacology and she was perplexed reading that topic because many of the criteria for depression was exactly the same told by Steve. Within no time, Ria thought of consulting Steve with the psychiatrist. Steve though reluctant initially, later on, agreed to visit the doctor. Steve was diagnosed as a case of depression. Steve now is living his normal life after taking medications for almost 6 months. Steve filled up with his joy as he was getting his life back on track thought of writing a letter on valentine’s day.

Letter delivered to Ria on February 14th, 2016

Dear Ria,
You surely are an angel to me, a mother to me. Thank you for helping me regain my life. I doubt I would have lived to date because depression in me was killing me, forcing me to give up. From helping me during those school days to helping me regain my life, you are a wonderful gift to me and I feel privileged and happy to have you in my life. “You and I now have converted to us. Today is the day when two of us became one”.

Your lover,
Steve

Reading this letter Ria couldn’t hold herself and cried in happiness, bond in between them got strongest ever.

“I am unable to attend my school/college for a single day because I am mentally stressed, I need a mental rest. What will be the response of response of teachers towards this application? I doubt on easy acceptance of this application. We are pretty much behind in mental health issues. Just simply by saying feel free to share with me won’t help. Nobody is going to come up to you to share up their stressful stories just by your single statement. A country needs a strategic plan to encourage mentally stressed individual so that they can visit psychiatrist/psychologist in time and a single in time intervention by them can save many lives.” this was the speech delivered by Ria in a conference of Nepal Psychiatric Association.

Ria now is a Psychiatrist. Steve, on the other hand, is in a national football team as a captain and is fighting hard with the government to improve the sports section of the country. Both of them are living a happy life together.

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