i fell in love with a face

i caught a glimpse of an image. a reflection of what i thought was an angel. lovely as seemed, it was too far out of reach. i was unable make out any more detail than what my failing eyes can paint for me.

i tried imagining what it would be like if she was real. i like to think that she'd be smart. witty. and decent. and fun. and intelligent. and classy. and sophisticated. and everything else in between. perfect, in all ways.

i tried comparing every girl to her. couldn't find any match at all.

i did, realize at one point, that the image was just a reflection of who i thought could be the perfect girl. and that comparing her with the rest would be a false division. it would be unfair. i knew i had to get in touch with reality.

i lost glimpse of that face, eventually. and i moved on. i tried looking back, and attempted to lock that image in my mind. i was able to keep some of it by thinking back, but the lethe eventually struck me. in time, the memory of it collapsed in itself and the image drew ever more vague. i tried looking for her in every woman i see.

sometimes the eyes would match. sometimes the ears. sometimes, the lips. but never as a whole. the semblance with every other portrait eventually turned the image into a picture of everygirl. until it came to a point where i was unable to find any distinction. she was lost in a pool of thoughts and faces. no more than just a vision of of a perfect but faceless girl. yet, it latched itself onto the deepest recesses of my unstable faculty.

time flew and i was faced with the image again. this time, i could see everything clearly. almost, every detail. almost. i tried to appreciate it's beauty, it's splendor, but amidst the delight and frenzied zeal of finally getting close to reuniting with my memories, the image, once more, moved further again.

it kept it's distance.

as if i wasn't deserving enough to observe carefully and discover any flaws. it pulled itself further back. with me staring at it, running after it every once in a while.

try as i might, i could not step ahead of the distance between us. so i stopped. and so did the image.

it stopped at a distinguishable point. i can see it decently, but never with enough clarity.

i realized that it will continue to be this way. i know that it will forever remain an image. a face, i will never come to know. she seemed so close, yet so far. reality has again, taught me a vital lesson.

i will remember this image. i will keep it in my heart. where my memory lethe won't affect it. where time or old age shall not touch it. i will hide it, and i will protect it, that i may have brighter things to think about, when time comes and the light does not shine anymore.

while the days continue to grow darker by the minute.

i fell in love with a face. but she's no more, than just a face.