The Journey and Life

‘Let’s start’ said the voice and I was dragged into the car. The doors were shut in harmony with the loud noise it produced. In a few seconds, pleasant fragrance reached every corner of the car and the engine started. With a jolt, the car moved forward. The ride was pleasant. The view from the window was aesthetic. It was a straight road - no turns, bends and divergent roads. And so, there was no necessity of deciding which road to take. Milk, biscuits, chocolates and fruits were offered. I satisfied my stomach and went into a short nap. The steering wheel rotated itself and the brakes handled themselves. There were many other cars on the road. Some moved as smoothly as mine. Some were experiencing thrill and a few dashed into one another ending their journey, but I need not fear - the car shall take care of me.

None asks for a life but God gifts it. Life as a child is a pleasant experience. The limited world to which a child is exposed appears beautiful. There are no decisions to be taken. The parents take care of all that the child needs. The ride with time is pleasant enough for most of the children. But for some, it isn’t.

All of a sudden, I jolted in my seat thus ending the short nap. Something appeared to have gone wrong. The fragrance in the cart was not as pleasant as it was earlier. The steering wheel and the brakes demanded my attention, the view outside had changed but it was still as aesthetic as it was earlier. The car halted at several places. Some people entered and some left. Some of them stayed on for ever. The food was shared with them. Sometimes, it was tasty. Sometimes, it wasn’t. At times, it was bad enough to bring tears to my eyes. The others consoled me. A few bends and turns were encountered but not diverging roads, the car kept moving.

The world of the child expands and pleasantness decreases. Things are to be learnt as a growing up kid. People enter and leave. A few remain all the time who are named friends. Happiness and sorrow is shared with them.

Significant changes started taking place the once pleasant fragrance was no longer pleasant. The view outside deteriorated. Food was no longer offered. It was to be grabbed from the trees by the side of the road. A new person entered and occupied the seat beside me. Mutual care followed. The steering wheel and the brakes came under my complete control. The ride was not as smooth as it was earlier. A few accidents made the car lose its shape. There were dents all over. The car had to be stopped at many points it decide the road to be taken. The time to take a decision lasted anywhere between seconds and years. Worse still, at times, the path driven had to be retraced on realising that it was the wrong one.

As an adult, the entire world is visible. The evil nature of the human race dominates the good. Things are to be earned. With marriage, enters a new person who takes care and is to be taken care of. Life no longer remains hurdle-less. Wrong actions take their toll. Decisions are to be taken. If right, there is no reason to worry. If wrong, a greater part of life gets spent in correcting them.

The people who rode with me since a long time got down the car. The fragrance disappeared. The trees and roads vanished into vacuum. A huge vehicle approached mine from the front and dashed into my car. Nothing happened to me but the car and the vehicle disappeared. All I could see was vast stretches of emptiness on all sides. Time passed and I was dragged into a new vehicle for a new journey.

As old age approaches, relations start eroding either by deaths or other reasons, Life no longer remains pleasant. One becomes isolated from the thoughts of the world. Death happens and the soul is pushed into a new life.

This is an entry for 'The Perfect Road Trip' contest on IndiBlogger sponsored by AmbiPur. Check out AmbiPurIndia's facebook page here.