Milestones - 6

Milestone - 7

Don Dasgupta was a well travelled man, best of places, best of hotels, best of airplanes, but this journey on foot surpassed all his previous endeavors.

It was to be his atonement.

He walked slowly, stopping occasionally; the weight of the bag pack was becoming heavier. His legs were cramping up a bit.He couldn’t take the weight any longer and twisted his ankle while crossing an ugly pothole in an otherwise flawless road.

The pain was unbearable. As he sat by the road side, unable to move ahead he broke down physically.

Mentally he had broken down much before.

‘why me?’ Why? – what have I done to deserve this?’

'Yes I am not perfect. But then who is? Are You ?' he said looking skywards.

‘If you only wanted peace and happiness on this earth why did you create evil in the first place?’

‘if you wanted love why create hate?’

‘why offer a choice of good and bad…and why not good and better?’

‘why even get into a comparison?’

And then when You did create all this comparison why punish the ones who make the other choice?

‘Why is it called a wrong choice in the first place?’

‘isnt someone’s truth always going to be someone’s lie ?’

‘what then is the ultimate truth ? the undeniable the uncontestable truth?’

‘what do we follow?’ Who do we follow and why do we follow?’

‘Or maybe you couldn’t do anything about evil.’

Maybe You are not all that powerful after all ?

Maybe we’re all fools…wishing and hoping for you to show up one day someday…’

Maybe You don’t exist at all.

Don Dasupta was on the verge of a complete break down…of the mind body and spirit.

He sat their lonely in the middle of nature with the hills, trees, roads and some clouds. They tried to say something to him all along the way…but he did not listen. They even tried to console him…but he was hurt. He buried his face in his knees and closed his eyes….

Just when hope lost itself to the winds,

Just when tears dried up in the clouds,

Just when hurt cloaked the slopes,

Just when pain hardened the pebbles,

Just when sorrow felled the trees,

Just when emotions choked the thunder,

Just then….she arrived.

Time had stopped for a moment.

Vulnerable eyes for love to look, luminous skin of divine origin, hair left for the breeze to follow, arched eyebrows bridged the sorrows, and a dimpled chin with lop sided grin, floated in from the sky.

The sun delayed it’s set, the moon peaked in early, the clouds fought to get glimpse, the trees swayed and the naughty leaves broke away, the pebbles rolled closer, the ground became softer, water fell slower, and the air cloaked her aura.

Words escaped Don. Expressions fought a contradictory battle. Don had no idea what to do or say.

‘you look hurt – what happened?’ she asked.

‘uh mm I don’t know’ Don fumbled with words.

‘then why do you look so forlorn?’

‘I ve been hurt and I have nothing to look forward to…

'b-but who are you?’

‘I am eternity – I have existed in time and beyond…such is my sorrow’

‘but isn’t that supposed mean ultimate happiness that you don’t die?’

‘your feet that touches this bare earth, this drop of water that trickles down your face, this wind that caresses your face this touch that feels the rain have all but deserted me.Does that make you more lonely than me?

‘When you travel this valley you can see the mountain it garlands….but when you travel the roads you will only wear the bracelet of pebbles…’

She put her hand on Don’s eyes, by the time he opened them again she was gone. So was his pain.

As Don continued his journey towards the top of the hill, he could see signs of civilization and hope. The weather beginning to clear a bit.

It was almost evening and he could see the lights dance in the distance.

Gyanban Thoughts – sometimes in life when things go wrong we question our fate, our existence our future and everything around us, having a ground level view of situations only adds to the confusion and dilemma.It is therefore upon us to rise above the ground level and view the picture from a distance or from a height, you will see the big picture and more importantly a clearer picture.

Who knows it may give you a new perspective. Just like Eternity did to Don, and made him realize to look at the big picture, to look over and above…in this world of micro-management and plans to the T, there is but a superior abstract waiting for all of us.

Read all about it in the final leg of Don's journey on hairpin bend number 7.

"The eye of a human being is a microscope, which makes the world seem bigger than it really is."

Khalil Gibran