On a rainy afternoon, I wasn’t doing what I would have loved to do, like cuddling into a ball on my chaise lounge with that perfect cup of tea and staring outside the window. Nor was I outdoors, completely enjoying getting drenched in the heavy downpour. I had driven myself to run some unavoidable errands and obviously at the risk of sounding clichéd, struggling to find parking that wasn’t a kilometer away from where I had work.
Fortunately, by the time I turned off the engine at a spot not too far away from the arcade, the rains had stopped so I merrily got down grabbing my bag and completely ignoring the pretty umbrella sitting by me. Happily, I ran through my “to do” list and as I stepped out to walk back towards my ride, there they were… The rains!! They were back and how!
First 20 seconds I invested in cursing myself for having left the umbrella in the car. The next 20 seconds I fixed my eyes on the car and calculated the time I would take to run towards it along with judging how drenched I would get if I took up that sprint. Lost in my thoughts, I started looking around to see how heavy the rainfall was. Just then I realized there were small vendors in line right outside the arcade and they had laid plastic sheets on their tiny roofs which extended just a little further to protect their customers from the rains. Narrow but generous enough for a person to borrow shelter from the ruthless rains. Now my mind started working on that route. It was one and a half times longer and would also take more than double the time given that I couldn’t walk fast or say “excuse me” and walk past. Nor did this route guarantee a complete dry escape. But was certainly better than the risky run.
As I took to my journey towards the car under the shelter of the sheets I kept my focus on reaching the car. One sheet ended, but before a dozen big droplets got to me, the next sheet was present to shelter me. And so under the series of colorful plastic sheets, I had almost reached my ultimate destination for that moment, my ride. When I sat inside, turned the engine on and started driving, a realization dawned upon me.
In life, when we set our vision upon achieving something, we always encounter a big blow in the beginning. After we recover from this blow, we see the shortest and the easiest way to achieve our goal. But this method never seems right in the long run. And then there is a patient, calculated and a carefully planned way to achieve the goal. This may take longer and may throw a few surprises at us but we can cope with these as we have already learned the knack.
Likewise, as we set on the planned route, when one sheet ends, we think now what? But even before we realize the next sheet is present to protect us. So there may be hindrances but never a dead end. And in case of a dead end, the option of sprinting still exists, right?
By the time I reached home, my mind felt as philosophical as that of Socrates, my energy levels as that of Milkha Singh and my smile, well that was my very own. A beautiful afternoon that was indeed. That of rains and realizations!
- Kalamwali