May 2012

Sitting on a new bench under an old, gracefully ageing tree, breathing timeless air…. surrounded by light that is softly filtering through the leaves…an unforgettable atmosphere is created… everything contributes to its uniqueness… cobwebs that have missed the gardener’s vigilant eye and thrive in forgotten corners…a delicate abandoned nest, still secure amidst branches, but empty. Wind that rustles and talks to the leaves like long lost friends. There is sheer poetry in the way colour fades from ancient walls and iron rusts on huge hinges. Ivy climbs and moss grows. Brave, little flowers push their way out of cobble stoned paths. These are not processes that follow any rules. They take their leisurely time to bring inimitable character to the surroundings where they exist. The gloss of newness fades into colours of immense character and depth.

Joining this timelessness is the sound of a hundred fresh young voices, soaring uniformly into a crescendo, like a flock of birds taking flight… singing an ancient hymn. I feel goose bumps rise on my arms.

It feels as if the chorus is echoed by the walls that have been witness to thousands of such mornings, over the years…
The desks tell forgotten stories… new students carve out fresh tales of their own on it…each one adding their imprint on that which existed before….

Our life is not in isolation, it is a super imposition on an existing design. We all leave our mark on it…changing it forever…. for better or for worse.

I am sitting alone in my balcony with a book. I got home after a busy day and am relaxing with a cup of tea and an interesting book. The late afternoon sun is lighting up the tips of the trees and the breeze is blatantly stealing fragrance from the vine laden with pink and white flowers. I inhale deeply. I am filled with gratitude for the beauty of this moment, I sigh…..a voice in my heart says, remember this…..

Remember the simple beauty of this day, or the beauty of this simple day…. whichever way I put the words, my mind understands what my heart is conveying. I pause and really become aware of this moment. The chirping of the birds, the distant roll of traffic, laughter of some children, the silence around and within me, the luxury of freshly made masala chai and the peace of my own company in my home. Remember this, the voice says, so you don’t forget what peace and harmony feel like. Through the rough times let this feeling guide you back to the sanctuary of your heart. Let this moment become a beacon to light up darker moments with its simple brilliance. After the highs of excitement and the lows of sadness, there is the beauty of the ordinary moment, a moment when nothing exciting is happening yet one feels blessed. A moment that is perfect in its simplicity and simple in its perfection. Grant me awareness of more such moments, so that I can find greatness in the beauty of the ordinary day…..and remember it….