"Spring has past, summer has gone and winter is here. And the song that I meant to sing remains unsung. I have spent my days stringing and unstringing my instrument." – Words of a man whose heart was filled with regret over a life half-lived. Rather than singing his dream song, he spent his days delaying and waiting until things were just right before he acted - "stringing and unstringing his instrument”.
She was my classmate and my neighbor. We walked, talked, played, jumped, studied, danced, sang, bullied others everything together- just like two peas in a pod. How can I forget those days –getting caught while trying to pluck mangoes from neighbor’s mango tree, our great scheme to smoke cigarette, trespass teachers garden for flowers. It was all forgiven in the name of naughty child’s playful triumph. Our friendship, a red red rose, came to an end – with a pinch. When she slapped another friend of mine – I pinched her- she pinched back. Gloomy end of a blooming friendship. We stopped talking, playing, naughtiness; for a fifth standard girl, it was week’s cry to cope up with her friend’s total silence, negligence, arrogance. So, during school farewell, I thought of going to her and giving her a chocolate.
Well, mind said – even she could do that. So didn’t do it. After fifth, we changed school. But still we were neighbors, every day I would look forward to my mother for the news – oh your friend came today to say hi, hello. But, my wait didn’t end.
I thought, she would be invited to my home sometimes, and that time, I will talk to her, will brag about my teachers, friends and school. She never came. Every day, we would look at each other but turn our face.
Year passed by thus. We stepped on to high school. And we still weren’t out of our hatred, loathing and disgust. It was a Wednesday afternoon. Our English teacher was reading William Blake’s The Poison tree
“I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow”
Well, I was angry with my friend and I didn’t tell my wrath and it did grow. Grow beyond repair. That day I decided- that I shall go to her and make friends again. So, I thought that weekend would be a good day. That day, while on my bed, I was thinking – this is what I should tell her as the reason for such delay, she would all be fine and my friend again. Next afternoon I get news that – that girl with beautiful eyes died due to drowning in the sea, while on the beach.
I was dejected, disgusted, and devastated. I still am left with that grief, a tormenting truth haunting my life, I didn’t smile, when I could, I didn’t forgive/ forget, while I could, I didn’t talk, while I should have; I didn’t meet, while I could have. I stuck in between my procrastination, ego, laid back like rip van winkle, in my lazy slumber. I kept on postponing, procrastinating, waiting for a good day to start with. It was fleeting shadow on a cloudy day. Time waits for none. The time bygone is gone by. I don't know who coined these phrases, but they must have been depressive and gloomy. We are like ostrich, trying to hide our head in the sand and hoping it to fade!
"It is an undoubted truth that the less one has to do, the less time one finds to do it." You may delay but time will not. The best way to get something done is to begin. Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week. Tomorrow is the day when idlers work, and fools reform and mortal men lay hold on heaven. Tomorrow is the only day in the year that appeals to a lazy man. A year from now you may wish you had started today."
‘At thirty, man suspects himself a fool; knows it at forty, and reforms his plan; at fifty chides his infamous delay, pushes his prudent purpose to resolve; in all the nobility of thought, resolves, and re-resolves, then dies the same, says a wise man. Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment. No idleness, laziness and procrastination. Be happy, not because everything is good, But because you can always find the good side of everything.
Next time you say, "I can do this later", think like Nike, Just do it! The feeling you get when you accomplish is much better than putting it off.
If you miss someone, call them. If you want to meet up, invite them. If you want to be understood, explain things. If you have a question ask them, if you don’t like something, say it; if you like something state it, if you dream something, work upon it. We just have one life, which is short and sweet; keep it simple; smile- smile while you still have teeth.
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