MEMORIES RULE OUR LIFE

Each passing moment of our life instantly ceases to be the present and enters that chamber in our heart known as ‘Memories’ and these Memories whether good or bad, happy or sad, then reign our life. It opens itself when called for and quite often walks in as an uninvited guest. Our childhood days, childhood home, school days etc are some of those memories that invade our thoughts most often than any other.

As you move into adulthood, as you are pushed out into the world of Reality, pushed out to face the real world all alone, as you are suddenly crowned with all the responsibilities and duties which once you thought belonged to only your parents and teachers and other grown-ups, you suddenly feel so insecure and so lost that you find solace only while taking that long walk down the memory lane… And for a moment you wish that you were once again that same old innocent child who could run into the strong waiting arms of your dad who had the ‘tonic’ to all your worries and problems, and lie there safe in his warm embrace and break down while he patted you and comforted you and let all your fears and doubts disappear in a whiff and instill into you a new sense of confidence and hope and thus re-assured you walk back into your life, bolder and braver and with the pleasant thought that come what may, your loved ones would always be there ready with the answers to all your insecurities….

But then suddenly Reality slaps back at your face and tells you that as years move on, your worries are too much your own, demanding your personal attention and that they can no longer be taken to your loved ones. This very chilling thought that unfaithful ‘Time’ is turning its wheels mercilessly, cues you to once again escape into your ever faithful ‘Memories’. Those days at school…the beautiful castle where you were delicately brought up all your school life…the place where you learnt the meaning of friendship and trust…where you once thought that exams and silly fights and youth festival results were all that mattered in life… As these painfully sweet memories fly past, you curse yourself for having once taken it all for-granted, for not having truly realized the worth of each of those passing moments at the time. And one by one, the faces of all those people who walked in and out of your school life - some who left a lasting impression and some who left a lasting vacuum; some who meant everything then and some who meant nothing then- ALL- swim before your eyes like a motion picture and you desperately call upon God to give you that one more last chance to thank them all for the part they played in molding the ‘You’ that the world sees today.

And then suddenly you are transported to Reality yet again and it slams at you the naked truth that you might never ever meet some of them again in your life and the thought makes you cry out and ask yourself why life has changed so much and u ask “Isn’t it unfair of Life to be so unfair?”…. And in desperation you attempt to make a comparative study of your own life-Before and Now… And lo! You realize that life now isn’t any bad either. You suddenly find yourself admitting that in some ways life might have actually got more happy and happening now.. New friends, new life, new experiences, new experiments….. each passing moment has its own story to relate as it walks into the Chamber of Memories.. And suddenly a new fear grips your heart and for a moment u think of that inevitable day when you would miss the things that you have today and you chide yourself for forgetting to relish the beauty of the present while yearning and whining so much about your past. And you close your eyes and silently, deep down in your heart you vow to enjoy each passing moment and not let the history of “taking it all for-granted” repeat itself once again….

The only truth that can slow your frantic oscillations between Memories and Reality is the realization that, in life, the only constant element is Change. Things and people who were once the nucleus of your existence have now stepped down their positions in the priority list of your life. New things and new people have taken their place and life changes thus! And as novelty walks in and out of your life, they bring with them new experiences and thoughts which mould you for tomorrow. But nevertheless you cannot help but miss your old buddies and your old care-free life at those lonely moments. As they say, you never realize the value of what you have, until it leaves you. And at those junctures of life, the only faithful one who would stand by you would be your Chamber of Memories….. Keeping alight the Flame of Hope in your life…..