Jab Kuhu Met Jug

The First Cry

Jug opened the door to find Kuhu pacing back and forth mumbling to herself. He couldn't help but crack a smile to himself. She really was an intriguing young woman. After the previous session, he had studied the notes he had jotted down on her. The girl was definitely a dreamer, with her cute filmy love story, but she also had a realistic head on her shoulders. The way she overcame her heartbreak over Kunal was commendable. Not many people would have been able to do that. Most would have run away from the situation - put as much distance as they could between them and the object of their heartbreak. But no, this incredible strong woman thought rationally and changed her priorities - to herself. Resilient. That's the word.

Jug frowned as he remembered the assumed topic of their session today. Mishti. The only thing, it seems, that can obliterate Kuhu's rationality, strength and resilience in one go. In Kuhu's dreamer world, her fairytale life, Mishti was the villain, the Dark Fairy, the Evil Witch, whatever you want to call it. However her negative feelings towards her - those were the actual bad guys and it was Jug's job to help her through them, to process them and finally, hopefully, let go of them.

Jug stepped into the room and cleared his throat. Kuhu immediately looked towards him, smiling brightly - too brightly. Jug motioned at her to take her usual seat on the sofa, while he settled into his chair.

"So..." he started.

"I couldn't do it!" Kuhu exclaimed. "I couldn't do the homework. I tried so hard but I couldn't. Every time I think about her or say her name or see her, my blood just boils. I just remember every single thing she did and I can't stay calm after that. I really don't want her to have any kind of power over me. I don't! But I can't help it! You know what, I even sat in front of the mirror, took deep breaths, counted to 5 and then tried saying her name calmly with a smile - but I couldn't! I swear Jug, I looked like I was having a stroke or something! I'm so sorry."

Jug chuckled and replied, "I didn't expect you to."

Kuhu gaped at him incredulously.

"Well, if I could tell someone to let go of something and they do so so easily, I would be out of a job!" he continued, still chuckling.

"So you gave me an impossible homework?" Kuhu pouted. "Meaning you knew I would fail! Who does that?!"

"Who said you failed?" Jug shot back. "You tried, didn't you? That's a pass in my book!"

Kuhu visibly relaxed and leaned back against the sofa and let out a sigh of relief.

"Kuhu, are you scared of failing?"

"Aren't you?"

"Not really. If I fail, I try again then if I fail again, I try again, even if I have to do it 10 times."

"But isn't it tiring? Doing the same thing over and over with the same outcome? Shouldn't you just give it up?"

"You tell me."

Kuhu squinted at Jug.

"You let your feelings about Mishti affect you again and again," he explained. "Over and over. With the same outcome. An outcome that you yourself have admitted that you don't like. Shouldn't you, as you said, just give it up?"

Kuhu pondered over Jug's words, biting her lip.

"Kuhu," Jug called softly. "In life, when you see a pattern or a habit forming, you need to think about it long and hard. Genius is about knowing when to stop."

***

"Ok, so tell me, what is your earliest memory?" Jug asked with his pen poised at his notebook.