Live Like Ghost

On the mountain I was driving,

Suddenly saw my car falling,

It collapsed, I died became a ghost,

All was lost- nothing to show and nothing to boast!

I roamed around, as a free 'spirit’,

In life of a ghost I found the merit

No anxiety, mind was stress free,

With my loved ones I seemed to live just happily!

I woke up to my astonishment,

Thinking why dying I had dreamt?

But I realized with the passing day,

That to be content and carefree, it had been my way!

What if I did the same here,

While living have no burden or fear,

And live my life to the fullest,

Knowing whatever makes me delighted is the best!

- FIONAA THAWANI

    I SEE I WRITE

No to Not possible

1. "Not possible", I was pleading.

A family friend from Bhilwara was adamant that I surely have to attend his son's marriage to be held at Jaipur. They had attended my daughter's marriage earlier. I couldn't attend their daughter's marriage as it was solemnized in Indore. This time it was in  Jaipur and so no excuse would work, it was understood.

I was Collector, Baran at that time. I explained to him hard that it's just not possible, while curfew continuing in my area followed by a communal riot. We all, SP, DIG & Divisional Commissioner were camping, trying to normalize the situation and I couldn’t even imagine asking for leaving Headquarters.

However, unexpectedly, a call from the Chief Secretary required me and SP to be present in Jaipur the next day for certain discussions. And, in fact the marriage was on the same day!

2 ."Not possible",  I had murmured under my breath.

Our neighbors came over to me in Jaipur with a marriage card a month in advance inviting me earnestly to the marriage of their daughter. The family had considered my wife as their daughter since her childhood. Although I said," Congratulations and why not", I realized that the marriage was in Ajmer. I sank but apparently told them to try my best, without actually meaning it. Just not possible, I was convinced. Unexpectedly two days before the marriage I received my transfer orders to Ajmer.

I joined the new assignment and of course, attended the marriage too.

3. "Won't be possible so soon", I knew it.

I was at a Hanuman temple on the highway between Ajmer and Kishan Garh. While giving me Prasad, the pujari of the Hanuman temple casually dropped that a few days later there was a Prasadi in the temple and asked me to come over. There wasn't any plan of going again on this highway in the near future, so it wasn't possible, I thought.

After my return from the temple within a few days my revered father proceeded for heavenly abode and I & my brother passed by the Hanuman temple on our way to Pushkar for immersing ashes in the holy water. Which was exactly the day of Prasadi!

These unforgettable events have made me resolve never to say, "Not possible", even if there is an invitation to visit Timbuktu.

It's always, 'Insha Allah, God willing or Bhagwan ne chaha to ", thereafter!!

Mysterious are the ways of the Providence!!

Author

Ramessh Kumar Jain  IAS Retd.