An enchanting metaphor...

It’s astounding how our mundane routines sometimes reflect the core journeys of life. Like this experience I had the other day in the train, whilst on my way to office. Pretty much a mundane activity.

That day was nice. It was one of those bright and fresh mornings, when you feel like spreading your arms out like an eagle and soaring high in the skies. Since this was not a feasible option, I chose to stand at the door of the zooming local, the breeze whistling wildly through my hair. My sight engaged on the railway tracks, dazzling delicately in the gentle rays of the early sun. Criss-cross they went, wildly jumping from here to there. Switches, signals and all kinds of complex circuitry that makes the whole system work impeccably. It was right out there, everyday. But today was different. Enchanted as I was by this intense phenomenon, I experienced what could be nothing but another brilliant shift in paradigm. Rather, I believe that a paradigm of life started evolving out of those lifeless, cold tracks lying before me. A cavernous metaphor that was staring out, with its eyes wide open all these days. That our journey is so much like a local train. You begin and end it on a single track. There are many tracks running in and out of yours, so you always have a choice of jumping over. But unless YOU chose to do so, your train will continue on the same one. Sometimes, a signal will force you to change your tracks. Sometimes, a signal will just tell you to hold on right there. Patiently. There are some tracks that can take you away from your destination, and you might never return back. Then there are those wonderful moments when you get green signals successively, and you just pull on your fastest pace ever, zooming ahead of the rest! Curves, bridges and tunnels sporadically appear and make the otherwise straight journey an interesting one. At times, you spot another train chugging parallel to you and you seem to be faster than her, but alas! Your station arrives and she pulls past you, winking. And after all these wonderful events of the day, you turn up, all dusty and tired, at the rail yard. But content fills your heart, for the journey has been exciting on the whole. Totally worthwhile. And you dream about tomorrow, till whence you rest under the shelters…