Finally...
The struggle was really long and painful and now when it is over, surprisingly, he did not feel happiness. It was as though he was emotionally discharged because of all he had to go through. No, it was not physical labour. This one was purely psychological, the feeling of helplessness, wishing to control life, wanting to set things as they ought to be, the agony of not being where one wants to. The constant effort to keep oneself motivated, happy or look happy at least. All the while, knowing at the back of the mind, still there is something missing.
But that's past now. There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel, a ray of hope, a new beginning. It is like the first drop of rain after a hot, grueling summer. It is like having a sunny day after long, dark winter. Feeling of warmth, feeling of relief. A smile comes to his lips now, the smile is not really of happiness. It is a smile of triumph over yet another difficult phase. It is a smile of wonder, as though questioning the Almighty, how many more mountains to climb, how many more "Agni Pareekshas " to go through? It is a smile of finally being able to enjoy the small things in life, at least for a while. And finally it is also a smile of excitement, the eagerness of meeting that someone special after such a long time.......