My World

Sometimes life can push you so hard that you feel like crumbling under the pressure. And yet one manages to crawl back most of the times. We term it as the ‘victory of human spirits’ and this had been the theme of many successful works of art. For the last few days I felt that the life was trying to put me on the same ‘pressure test’ albeit on the ‘novice’ mode. It did not help that it had chosen the time when I was reeling under intense back pain (Despite parting ways with pain yesterday I still have no idea how it became my guest at first place). Tuesday was particularly bad. I had my third consecutive night-out working on projects which I knew had very little chance to benefit me in the future and that too when I was almost immobile due to the sudden appearance of Mr. Pain. Things did not go well since the morning as I had to be a part of three most toll taking classes back to back and then an insipid performance in the final presentation. A spat with a good friend was the last thing I wanted at that juncture and life chose to strategically come up with that situation. The final result: I was left sulking and even could not register my frustration physically as Mr. Pain chose to shift into high gear almost simultaneously. I still feel that life and Mr. Pain conspired against me. If you are thinking that I’m cribbing about my life and in turn am boring you to death then wait! I still have the perfect recipe for a blockbuster despite the not so engaging first half. The fight-back remains to be portrayed.

I always had this belief that at times of adversity a person has to fall back to his strengths. I think that where life had succeeded in the game it played with me was that it cut me off my strengths. I had not slept for three consecutive nights and whatever little sleep I had managed in those days were always marred by disruptions. Feeling down and exhausted I went to bed and then suddenly everything changed. I returned to my world. Let me make a confession: my world is slightly different from the real world. My world is populated with fairies, unicorns, princes, vast greeneries, magical creatures and what not. There are demons and there are villains and so are the heroes. Colours of a more vibrant life explode in my world. It is an escapade from the harsh realities of the real world but then who cares. In my world I have encountered aliens, saved my planet from many attacks, moved across timelines, have created history, have destroyed armies and have uplifted the human civilization. I am the hero but sometimes I play the villain. It remains up to me on how I script the course my world will take. I am strong in my world, I am the man with virtues and in my world there is always the righteous who wins. I derive my strength from this world. It gives me hope that the real world can be made as beautiful as my world. We just need to strive to achieve that. Enough!!!! I know that I got carried away with my confession. But even though I can delete it I will not. Endure the real me if you have the courage.

So as I slept and let myself wander into my world, I started feeling good. It was so beautiful. I saw an old man limping around in woods. He was carrying a load of dry woods. I offered him help. He refused it politely. I showed my genuine concern about his age and offered him help again. He smiled and moved past me. I followed him.

“You appear to be in pain. You are limping.” I said.

“So what? I am limping does not mean that I am in pain.”

“Then what does it mean?”

“It means nothing.”

“How can it mean nothing?”

He sat by the riverside. He wiped out his perspiration. The sun was not harsh. The rays of it reflecting from the water made the river more beautiful.

“Why are you following me?” He asked me.

“I just want to help you.”

“I won’t let you do that.”

“Why?”

“Can you see the village across the river?” he pointed out in a specific direction.

I nodded.

“My grandchildren are waiting for me to bring these woods so that food can be cooked. I am taking these woods because it is my responsibility. I am taking these woods because the joy on their face gives me satisfaction. I will not let you snatch that away from me by helping me. “

“How do you manage your pain?” It was the first time I saw the cause of his limping. He had a cut in his ankle.

“By concentrating on my goal.” He smiled, “I have to go.”

He stood up and caressed my hair. “It was nice meeting you. Thanks for offering me help.”

I watched him as he carried the dry woods to his village for his grandchildren. I was about to go when I heard his voice “Will you remember an advice from an old man? Don’t ever let the adversities in life pin you down. The day you let that happen you will be as good as dead.”

I heard that and then walked along the river till the sun retired from his shift. I sat under a tree as the moon shone brilliantly in the sky. And then there was a thunder. I was woken up by my friends. The real world had taken over my world again. But I felt that the pain had subsided. Mr. Pain obviously was not feeling too well. I was happy. Almost ecstatic. I knew that this time the odds are in favour of me if the life ever applies the “pressure test” again on me.