JOIN USLife's lush-green park
Some days ago, during a stroll at sunset, on seeing severe traffic snarl at a street, I suddenly decided to skirt it, by taking a short-cut route via a children’s playpark. As I traipsed in, by tactfully turning the turnstile, I saw the sun, all set to sink behind the distant scudding clouds, as if to snatch some respite.
My gaze cruised towards the cluster of croton plants. The raindrops on the ridged leaves jiggle-joggled like jelly masses.
Then there were svelte-framed teenyboppers, swanning around, strongly clasping hands with their strapping beaus. The lynx-eyed tricenarian women were vigilant of their frisky teeny-tots, feistily prancing around with faltering steps. The dotards, maybe denizens of the city, delighted themselves, discussing some drab politics with dollops of gusto. Some daily strollers were walking with darting steps, ducking and dodging the bird-poops!
Actually, what captivated my fancy was the children’s play area. And unwittingly, I tried drawing analogies.
At first, I saw two small guys on a see-saw. Invariably, the one who pitched himself higher, screeched with profound joy, while the one, who came plunging down, showed palpable disgust. Just like highs and lows of successes in life — catapulting us higher, or making us come crashing down!
Then I saw a moppet, who with mammoth efforts, managed to climb steps of the slide. Once she was on top, she looked thrilled.
But, within seconds, she came sliding down, looking all sullen! Just like in life, it takes eons to scale the zenith of success. But, within a trice, one can come tumbling down to the nadir of failure!
Then my attention drifted towards the swings, where two blithesome boys were basking in bountiful fun. One was propelling himself to swing, while the other was being pushed by his mother. Just like in life, at times, we have to surge ahead ourselves. If lucky, maybe we’d have someone to prod us to success.
Then there was this ebullient child, clambering vertical and horizontal metal pipes of jungle-gym. He squealed with sheer exultation at the end of his eventful feat. Just like in life, more the hurdles/challenges, greater is the exhilaration on accomplishing.
Finally, my gaze coasted towards the child having copious fun, constantly going in circles in a merry-go-round. Well, just like in life, what goes around, comes around. History repeats itself. We get back what we give to others!