~ The Park… ~

 A ground which confounded my existence with my growing up years now behaves the way I never thought it to be. Hours were spent playing all sorts of sports with goodness of friends and foes being those cricket and football matches – the fights and aberrations became the part and parcel of my adolescence.

 But off late, the Park has gained a new definition in my vocabulary of life, there is much to observe, live and dream about its presence around me – the thankless job it does to hordes of people coming to the fore for a simple stroll or an escapade of domestic life.

Today in these uncertain times, the Park has become our new dimension of living, with all sorts of souls avoiding the frenzy moments of homely living, Park is our sole refuge. With blossoming flowers and clear sky paddocks above, the place has an intriguing enigma. Brisk walks have become the norm of the day, I never thought of meeting beautiful people living close in my vicinity – souls brimming with wisdom of life, the die-hard octogenarians who have held formidable positions in government or private sectors but could not beat age and had to call it quits, though still they have not shunned the aura and respectability of positions they held.

On the other facet, I could see life in dilapidation, with no achievement, these lifeless souls occupy benches to time-pass their earthly sojourn and sometimes regret being born with not much luck or hope. Talking with them teaches me much about the dichotomy life offers, on one hand I see materialistic achievements and the boasting of same but on the other side of the aisle I see despondency and failure of life. On one hand I see kids full of confidence and playing their favorite sports, also I visualize toddlers just brought to a gentle stroll with their mothers – hoping for better future of their kids, there first footsteps outside the periphery of their homes. The Oxymoron of life continues as you would find the new and the old walking pass by each other looking with equal inquisition.

Of late with the pandemic taking its toll on the old, I sometimes hear the loss of someone gone without any signs of doing so, just the other day he was taking a stroll, but the life uncertainties took over him. Such vicissitudes of life – the park has seen it all, encapsulating the decree of pain and warmth of its regular inhabitants. Someone becomes a new member, someone losses his membership, the place sees quite a new visitor everyday and offers its meadows to captivating heights.

Park makes me meet both ends and continues to poke me with grim reminders of life – a life with all of its panorama it can offer. Today as I write this piece of thought, the park is all that is there with me, the fragrance of flowers, the buzzing of the winds , all that seems just majestic of what nature showers on you till the time you are here !