Just Do It !

Will you smile, if I asked you to? Great! Dear Toastmaster and guests, good evening. "Spring has past, summer has gone and winter is here. And the song that I meant to sing remains unsung. I spent my days stringing and unstringing my instrument." – Words of a man whose heart was filled with remorse over a life half-lived. Rather than humming his reverie song, he spent his days shelving and waiting until things were just right. She was my classmate and neighbor. We walked, talked, jumped, studied, played, danced, bounced and bullied each other, everything together- just like two peas in a pod. How can I forget those days –getting caught while trying to pluck mangoes like monkeys from neighbor’s backyard, our great scheme to smoke cigarette and trespass teachers garden? It was all forgiven in the name of naughty child’s playful triumph. Our friendship, a red red rose ended up like summer’s dark dry leave. When she slapped another friend of mine – I pinched her- she pinched back. Gloomy end of a blooming friendship. We stopped talking, playing; for fifth standard girl, it was week’s cry to handle her friend’s total silence, avoidance and arrogance. During school farewell, I thought of making peace with her. Mind said – even she could do that. So didn’t do it. After fifth, we changed school. Still we were neighbors, every day I would look forward to my mother for the news – oh your friend came today to say hello. My wait didn’t end. I thought, she would be invited to my home sometimes, then, I will brag about my teachers, friends and school to her. She never came. Every day, our eyes met but face turned like strangers. Year passed by thus. We stepped on to high school. We still weren’t out of our hatred, loathing and disgust. A Wednesday afternoon, my 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” I was angry with my friend, I didn’t tell my wrath and it did grow beyond repair. That day I decided to approach her and befriend again. I thought that weekend would be a good day. That night, I was thinking – about the possible explanations to give for delay, with which she would be fine and be my friend again. Next afternoon I hear that – that girl with beautiful eyes, my dearest friend, died due to drowning in the sea. I was dejected, distraught, and devastated. I still am left with 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 wedged in between my procrastination, ego, laid back like rip van winkle, in my own lazy slumber. I kept on postponing, deferring, waiting for a good day to start. It was fleeting shadow on a cloudy day. Time waits for none. 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 hoping the problems to fade! The less one has to do, the less time one finds to do it, an eternal truth. 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 when idlers work, fools reform and pessimists hope. Tomorrow is the only day that appeals lazy man. A year from now you may wish you had started today. Edward Young says, ‘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’. Value, snatch, grasp, and enjoy every moment. No idleness, laziness and procrastination. Be happy, not because everything is good, But because you can always find good side of everything. Always, replace your "I can do this later", with just do it! As you walk out of the door, if you miss someone, will you call them? Want to meet up, will you invite them? Want to be understood, will you explain? You got questions, will you ask them? Don’t like something, will you say it; like something will you state it, dream something, will you work upon it. We just have one life, which is short and sweet; keep it simple; smile- smile while you still have teeth.